A Journey Apart
by Fox MC
Summary: When the tears fade, all that remains is pain. And the only thing more daunting than this very pain, is the process of overcoming it alone, without her by his side.
1. A Team Divided

"_Fox…you saved me…"_

"_You…never let me down…do you Fox?"_

"That voice…why won't it stop? Why won't it just leave me alone?"

_"Fox…I completely understand how you must feel…merely the fact that you were no longer alive gave me almost the exact same feeling."_

_"I don't want anything like this to break us apart ever again Fox."_

"You…get out of my head. Your voice, it's…not real, it's just an illusion…"

_"…But now, through the predictions of an ancient scroll and fate's desire, I think I've found the one that I will pass my parents gift on to…"_

"Stop it…right now. I don't want to hear anymore…I don't want to remember…"

_"Fox, I want to remain by your side for as long as my life lingers within this galaxy. And I…would take it as the utmost honor if you would take me as your wife. Not only so that we may stay together for as long as we live, but so that as time continues to slip through our fingers as it has, we may look back and be content in that we were able to share it with one another."_

_"Fox…my love…don't ever give up. I…eagerly look forward to the day…when we are reunited…but until that day comes…remember…I love you, Fox McCloud…don't ever forget that…"_

"Shut up! I'm not going to take this from you anymore! No matter what I do I'll…"

The vulpine abruptly cut himself off as he now found himself standing, his fist clenched tight at his side. There was a combination of rage and sorrow flowing through him as he gazed desperately out his large bedroom window, a perfect view of the rising Cornerian sun resting beyond its clear surface. His focus eventually strayed from this sight, instead placing it on the mountains that sat peacefully in the distance, their surfaces reflecting brilliant colors as the gentle rays of the sun reflected off their snowy and distant faces. This seemed to anger the vulpine even further, just as it had every morning since that day. He quickly turned from the window, disgusted by the sight that lay beyond, and placed his focus instead on the firmly closed fist that sat at his side. For a moment, he remained in this spot, his mind devoid of anything accept this overwhelming anger that he felt within himself. But suddenly, the fingers that sat within his furry palm suddenly loosened, his anger seeming to vanish as soon as it had come. He raised his hand up to his face, seeing the red marks he had left due to the great compression his fingers had been under. This was all he knew, this feeling of desperation, hopelessness. These strange fits of anger and sorrow that were now so familiar to him, they all came from that single moment, one that, despite how hard this vulpine may try, would never leave him. With a quiet and frustrated sigh, he lowered his hand back to his side, speaking under his breath as he did so.

"No matter what I do, I'll always be alone…"

Team Star Fox in:

A JOURNEY APART 

Chapter 1: A Team Divided

"Great, that was perfect! We'll take those cuts and send them to our studio. While we get that ready, you can prepare for your final shoot for the day, alright? We'll be waiting for you at Location 7."

She gave a passive nod as she exited her pose and regained her regular posture. Shortly after doing this, she quickly walked across the large studio floor, several animals giving her approving nods and compliments as she passed by. She did nothing in retaliation to this however; there was no reason for her to do so. Having been in this type of business for so long, she knew she had fans, even among her co-workers, and taking the time to stop and chat to these fans was never one of her favorite things. So instead, she merely continued walking until she found the reprieve of her generously large dressing room.

Once inside, she was met by her personal crew of stylists and designers, each of them showing the pink feline with praise as soon as she set foot in the room. To this praise the feline was much more receptive, due mostly to the fact that she had a more professional relationship with each of these girls. The feline let off a grateful smile as she made her way towards her makeup station, quickly removing whatever powder and other highlights remained on her face from the previous shoot. As she did so, one of the felines associates approached her and commented calmly, "Alright Katt, your next shoot is at Location 7. You shouldn't have much of a problem there, that's your forte shot, isn't it?" The pink feline turned slightly from the mirror, speaking quietly as she continually ran a slightly moist cloth against her face to remove whatever makeup still remained, "Ya, Location 7, that was my first cover shot, the one that made me famous." She paused slightly before continuing on as she reached back into her not to distant memories, "It's hard for me to believe, but it's almost been a whole year since then. Isn't it crazy how that works?" Her assistant nodded with a smile, continuing on with that same smile, "When I first saw you, I never thought this would be possible, not after all you went through on that mission with the Star Fox Team. I didn't think…" Katt abruptly stood in a successful attempt to stop this animals speech, after which she quickly commented in a voice that had become suddenly angry, "Hey, I don't really want to hear about that right now. It's in the past and we don't have to talk about it, ever. Alright? Let's just get ready for this next shot so we can go home." The feline's assistant watched hesitantly as her suddenly irritated client walked off to another part of the room, but despite the slight confusion that had arisen within this animal due to Katt's sudden outburst, she quickly forced these thoughts from her head as she followed a short distance behind her client.

The feline easily made her way towards another section of the somewhat large room, quickly finding herself surrounded by several greatly varying styles of cloths and mirrors that sat in a slightly disorganized fashion throughout the entire space. Katt purposefully made her way past the more disheveled parts of this room towards the far wall, where a few of her designers stood, each looking in her direction with subtle anticipation in their eyes. Almost immediately after the pink feline walked within speaking distance, one of the designers stepped forward, holding out a small article of clothing in her arms as she spoke in a voice that mirrored her expression, "Hey Katt, I heard from the director that this next session will be the debut shoot of your new fashion line, isn't this just so exciting?" Katt merely nodded, never having been the one to outwardly display any type of emotion, and commented shortly after, "Ya, I've been waiting for this for a long time. I mean, we've been working on this for a while now, I figured it wouldn't be long before that director of ours finally gave us the thumbs up." As the feline finished, she looked down towards the small piece of clothing that the animal held in her arms and questioned flatly, "So this is that new swimsuit we designed, right?" Her associate nodded happily, speaking out shortly after in a cheerful tone, "Yep, this is the one. It's been a drawing for so long, but now we can finally see what it looks like in person. Why don't you change and see how it looks, then you can head over to Location 7 and take those last few shots for the day." Katt made no reply, but merely took this small piece of clothing in her own hands and quickly made her way behind a small curtain-concealed room that sat at the very end of her large dressing room.

Once fully behind the protection of this curtain, she promptly shed the cloths that she had worn during her previous session, feeling greatly relieved as she did so due to the fact that they had made her feel slightly warmer than her liking. It was at that moment that it all came back to her, just the mere mention of that mission had now consumed her thoughts completely. The feline looked a short distance towards a full-body mirror that sat within this small curtained room, seeing nothing but her own almost completely bare figure in its reflection, but at that same moment, she found that the reflections in her mind came in a greatly different form. It was as if it had all become fresh in her mind, as if that whole ordeal had only happened a few days ago, causing this feline's focus to hesitate as it all flooded back into her thoughts. As strange as it seemed, the feline seemed almost overwhelmed by this sudden resurgence of her memory, and with a slight amount of difficulty, she took a few hesitant steps towards an undersized bench that sat within this small changing room, upon which she quickly took a seat. Katt then eagerly leaned her head back against the wall that sat immediately behind this small bench as she tried to center herself, but not unlike her similar attempts in the past, it served to be too great a challenge for her to overcome. At this point, she leaned her head away from the wall and instead placed it inside her hands, her mind quickly became enveloped in those memories, ones that she had tried so hard to forget ever since that day, the day when Fox McCloud returned.

_I can't believe it. I can't believe…that got brought up, just when I thought I finally had it out of my system. I guess there's just no way around it though, I'll never be able to forget all the stuff that happened on that mission. Not that I really had any part in the end, but it's wasn't really the mission itself that was hard for me to get over, it was what happened when Fox came back, after he had defeated that Scales guy and returned to Corneria. I remember him walking off that gangway, pretty much the entire planet had come to see him…and not just to cheer him on because he had saved the galaxy again, they wanted to see with their own eyes that Fox had somehow come back to life. Pretty much everyone figured he was gone forever, but there he was in all his glory. There was something different about him then, something I'd never really seen in McCloud before. Even though the entire planet rolled out the red carpet for him, he seemed…distracted, maybe even a little sad, despite all that was happening around him. I didn't know it then, but he had lost something during the time he was away. Maybe no one noticed it because of the successful mission, or maybe everyone was too surprised by Fox's revival to even remember, but there was another member of our team, and she never walked off that ship…_

Katt hesitated in her thoughts slightly as she realized a small amount of sweat accumulating on her face and her furry palms. Immediately after realizing this, she quickly removed her hands from their current position and quietly rubbed them against each other, gradually eliminating the moisture that lingered within. After doing this, she leaned her head against the wall that sat behind her, staring up at this small room's ceiling with a hesitant sigh as her thoughts continued on.

_I guess just the fact that I'm thinking back to that day is gettin' me kinda tense, but everyone was that day…well, everyone on the team anyway. Everyone else on Corneria pretty much had one huge party because of the fact that Fox defeated Scales. But then that's where it got kind of weird to me. Even though all this was going on, Fox wasn't anywhere near any of the celebration. Actually, I don't think anyone had seen him since he'd walked off the Great Fox. It didn't really matter though, the planet just kept partyin' without McCloud, and I guess no one really cared. Well, they might not have, and maybe the crew just wanted to leave him alone, but I was worried about him. I mean, there'd been times on that mission where Fox had helped me with problems…and I thought that maybe I could do the same for him, maybe I could help him like he helped me. It took almost five full days of searching, but I finally found out where he was. McCloud was living in a really secluded part of Corneria on a huge property, of course, this place was really out of the way, but I still wanted to see him, not like I really had anything better to do back then anyway. I was really surprised by how big his place was when I arrived, I mean, for a guy living on his own, I didn't think you'd need a mansion, but with all that money, I guess he could do whatever he wanted. I walked up to the front door and rang his doorbell, having absolutely no idea what to do if he actually answered. It took a while, but after a few minutes I heard the door slowly open, and then I saw him standing there, his face looking exactly like it did when he got off the Great Fox. It right there, looking at McCloud's bummed out face, that I realized something. This was exactly how…she had looked when we all thought Fox was dead. His expression never changed when he saw me standing there, he just shook his head and turned around, closing the door behind him without saying a word. It's been almost an entire year since that day, and no one's heard from McCloud since…_

"Hey Katt, is everything alright in there? Do you need some help or something?"

The pink feline abruptly snapped from her thoughts, quickly remembering that her day still wasn't over. She hastily stood up and replied calmly as she removed what little clothing still remained on her body, "No, it's alright, I'll be out in a second." Almost immediately after saying these words, she found herself garbed in her new outfit, the first of her soon to be released fashion line. She gave a quick look over towards the mirror that sat within this small room, checking to make sure it met her expectations. She found herself now garbed in a white, one-piece swimsuit. One that was accented by both a large empty oval that had been removed from the back of the swimsuit, making the entire area of fur above the top of her hip and the bottom of her neck completely visible, as well as a well-sized cut-out diamond shape that sat in the middle of her chest, exposing that area with not the most modest of coverage. It took the feline only seconds to give herself the once over, and after finding the outfit to her liking, she quickly stepped free from the small changing room to reveal the design to the rest of the room.

Almost immediately upon doing so, Katt was met with several of her associates, all of whom began showering her with complements. The feline may have responded back to them all with a smile, but her mind was no longer solely focused on these things, but rather, her mind wandered back to the place it had been only seconds ago, a place within which she found a strange type of comfort.

_I wonder what Fox thinks of me now…now that I'm one of the most famous animals on Corneria…or maybe he hasn't even noticed at all. I know he's out there, I know he's probably still trying to deal with her death, but I'm gonna be the one to change that. One of these days, I'm gonna find a way to help McCloud. It's the least I can do after all he's done for me…Just wait a little bit longer Foxboy, don't give up on me yet. She might be gone, but you still have me. I hope that'll be enough to get you through this…_

(Inside East Docking Bay 2)

The large doors of this recently erected hangar slowly opened, allowing entry for a ship that appeared only to be slightly smaller than the Great Fox in size. It was only seconds after this ship came into sight before it gently landed inside this large docking bay, the doors it had just entered through coming to a close as well. For a few moments, nothing happened. Nothing besides a few excited screams and yells that erupted from a large crowd of animals that stood impatiently outside the docking bay, each of them waiting eagerly for the emergence of their new hero.

It was not long after this ship first came into view that the crowd finally got what they had come to see. A narrow gangway slowly extended up from the floor, soundly attaching itself shortly after onto a section that sat mid-way up the hull of the impressive vessel. Once this was completed, a small door opened from just above this newly appeared gangway, and almost immediately after, the crowd could see several shadowed figures approaching the now open surface of the ship's hull. It was at this moment that the comparatively calm outbursts of the crowds suddenly erupted into uncontrollable cheers and shouts as these formerly shadowed figures walked into the light, giving everyone that stood in the crowd a glance of their new hero, one whose blue feathers and cocky expression seemed to perfectly complement the ship he had just exited.

This avian stood center stage for only a moment, waving at his many adoring fans as he did so, after which he began to slowly walk down towards the floor of the docking bay, allowing the few animals that stood behind him to exit as well. The blue avian was trailed most closely by a familiar green toad, who was then followed by only two other animals. One of these animals was a generically colored female wolf, one that by merely the expression seen on her face made it evident how much she loved the attention. Shortly after her arrival, another female member emerged, this time it being a young tiger, her fur being that of a pure white color with the occasional black stripe emerging from the parts of her body her uniform did not cover. This animal seemed to linger behind the group instead of walking with them, making it easy to tell that attention from so many people was not as desirable for her as it was for the first few crewmembers. Despite this, it was only a matter of seconds before all four animals completed their walk down the gangway, and once they had, the crowd of cheering animals quickly tried to push their way closer, each wanting a better glimpse of this brave band of heroes.

This group of animals cautiously made their way through the wave of both supporters and newscasters towards a parked limousine that sat only a few feet from the docking bay. They were making relatively good time through the mass of animals, but about halfway to their intended destination, this teams leader stopped walking, his attention squarely focused on a group of attractive fan girls, who had each been eagerly calling his name ever since he emerged from the ship. He let off his trademark smirk as he spoke to these animals, "Hello ladies, it was nice of you to come out and see me tonight. Anything I can do for you?" Upon hearing this, every single one of these over-anxious females began to giggle uncontrollably, which several of them followed up by holding out their own copy of a large poster, each with a different picture of their favorite avian. Falco nodded and quickly revealed a small permanent pen from a pocket of his uniform, never being the one to be caught unprepared for his fans. The avian took each one of these posters and quickly signed each of them, the fan girls continuing their giggling the entire time he did so. After finishing, he returned each of their posters with his completed signature, and shortly after doing so, one more of the fan girls pushed her way to the front, asking in a somewhat seductive tone of voice, "Hey Falco, you think you could sign my shirt for me? I'd really appreciate it." The avian's smirk seemed to widen as this female made the offer, his response coming shortly after in a restrained yet eager sounding voice, "Sure babe, Falco's gonna make all your girlfriends back home jealous, alright?" The female animal nodded and willingly allowed the blue avian to craft his signature squarely on the chest of her shirt, which both of the animals seemed to be enjoying to a great extent. Once finished, the avian gave a slight chuckle before adding, "You've got a nice body babe, maybe we should hook up later and get to know each other a little better." The animal let off a soft giggle, but said nothing as Falco gave a slight wave of his hand to this group of fan girls and continued on his way, along with the rest of his crew, towards the curb that sat just outside the docking bay.

None of the animals that followed the avian seemed to be in the least disturbed by his actions. Perhaps at first they had been, but after assuming the role as leader of this newly assembled team, the avian had begun to take a much greater interest on the female population. And because of the avian's increasing fame, the female population was also becoming more interested in him, allowing the blue avian almost instant access to any girl he wanted, which he often times took complete advantage of. Whether it be during a mission to another planet, or if he was just walking around his home planet of Corneria, he almost had the ability to point to a girl and instantly capture her heart, and because of this, Falco had quickly gained the reputation of being a complete ladies man. Many on Corneria, as well as the rest of the universe, found his acts to be completely disrespectful, not only for himself and the women he constantly found himself with, but for the planet of Corneria itself. Falco of course did not find himself too greatly concerned about their opinions, finding that there was little anyone could do to stop him because of his lofty status. So because of all of this, there was nothing for the animals that accompanied him to do but accept the avians new personality and move on.

It was no more than a few seconds after Falco's momentary delay before they found themselves standing in front of their intended destination, that being the patiently idling limousine that sat on the edge of the wide Cornerian street. With little hesitation, each animal that belonged on this new team slowly filtered into the craft, all of them leaving the still cheering crowd behind as the previously open door to the vehicle came to a solid close behind them.

Once inside, the four animals immediately found themselves face to face with General Pepper, but not in person, rather his face was seen thanks to a large flat screen that sat at the opposite end of the craft, allowing all the animals that now sat within the limousine a perfect view of their General. As the vehicle gradually began to hover away from the docking bay, General Pepper spoke in a subtly pleased sounding voice, "Welcome back to Corneria you four. Judging on what I've heard from my secretary, you're mission was a success. Let me be the first to congratulate you all." Falco nodded towards the screen, responding in a slightly arrogant voice, "Thanks Pepper, but don't make it sound like it was such a big deal. You just send us that check and we'll take that as your thanks." General Pepper's face cracked as a slight smile broke across his brown, furry visage, which he followed up shortly after by speaking in a tone that matched his amused look, "Of course Falco, I know much better than to go without repaying our debts to you and your team. Your fee should arrive at your team's headquarters within the next few days." The General paused for a moment, his expression seeming to quickly fade as he did so, continuing on shortly after in a much more solemn sounding voice, "I'm greatly relieved to find that this ordeal is finally over. It has been over a year since we first got word of these controls, but now every one of those unfortunate planets have finally been freed. It seems like such a long time ago since…" It was at this point that Falco abruptly cut off the General with his own defensive words, not liking where his train of speech was headed, "That's alright Pepper, we took care of the problem so we can just forget about the whole mind control thing, alright?"

After these words were spoken, there was a brief silence held within the limousine, every animal that sat within seeming to be surprised at the sudden emotion the avian had just displayed. But even so, it was very understandable, even coming from Falco. Both he and Slippy had been on the original mission to end these very same mind controls, and the memory of their former leader returning from that mission after having defeated General Scales almost an entire year ago was still imbedded in their minds. No one had seen him since then, nor had anyone even heard of where he had gone after departing from the Great Fox that day. The only thing they knew was that he was gone, and they would probably never see him again.

If there was one animal inside that limousine that could understand the now deep-rooted unrest that came as a result of all of this, it was General Pepper. He took the opportunity to break this silence, concluding in an even voice, "Yes, it would be best if we just placed this entire ordeal behind us. All we can do now is look forward and hope for the best. So for now, I want all of you to return to your headquarters and get some rest. There are no missions of outstanding importance at the moment, so I would like for you all to relax, you've earned it. I'll contact you if anything comes up. Pepper out." With those words, the screen faded out, leaving nothing but a black void present on the large monitor.

Because of this, the animals that sat within this craft were left to nothing but the sound of the quickly passing scenery and the vehicle's running engine. Both Falco and Slippy held their heads down, their focus seeming to be diverted to what General Pepper had brought up about the past year. Because of this, the wolf, who had been observing the ordeal in silence hesitantly stood up from her seat and made the short journey over towards the seats that were located opposite of herself, shortly after taking a seat next to the tiger, who had also been silent during the time of General Pepper's words. There was only a brief moment of stillness between them before the wolf slowly leaned over towards the tiger and asked in a whisper, "Hey Kaya, did you catch any of that? Sound's like Falco gets a little emotional when that guy McCloud gets brought up. You have any idea why?" The white feline did nothing but shake her head in silent response, which spurred the former animal to continue on, "No idea? I can't really figure it out either. You think maybe McCloud owes our captain some money or something?" The tiger remained silent, merely shrugging her shoulders in reply. The gray and white canine shook her head as she looked back at her leader, adding shortly after, "Huh…well, I know that guy better than anyone else on this planet, but I've never seen him get so worked up about something like this. Maybe I should go ask him…" There was a short moment of inaction from the wolf as she said this, but only seconds after she once again stood from her seat, making her way towards a different place within the limousine.

After a few short steps, she had successfully found a seat directly next to her avian captain. Despite the fact that she sat only inches from him, he still did not look up from his comatose stare. After noticing this, the wolf reached out with her arm and wrapped it around the back of his neck, hoping that it would bring him out of his inactive state. This action did prove successful, but as she saw him give a slight jump as a result of the sudden contact, the wolf could not help but let out a surprised chuckle, as if that was the last thing she would have expected from him. He looked over at her with a perturbed glance, only to have it melt immediately after with a hint of embarrassment. The canine's smirk held as she spoke, "Wow Falco, what was that? You nervous or something? I mean, I've never seen you act like this the entire time I've known you. What's wrong babe?" Falco hesitated a moment, not sure what he could say. But it was only seconds after this initial hesitation before he answered with a smirk of his own, "Ah, it's nothing. Just having a little flashback for a minute there." The wolf wasted no time in replying after the avian finished, "A flashback? About what? Are you thinkin' about the old team from a while back?" Falco once again hesitated slight before answering, but did so shortly after in a voice that did not falter, "Ya, I guess so. It's been a while since I've seen Fox, I was just thinkin' what the heck he's doing now a days. I mean, no one's heard from him for a good piece of time and I'm just…"

Before he could finish, the wolf retracted the arm she held around Falco's neck, bringing his head somewhat abruptly against her shoulder as she spoke, "Hey, don't worry about that past. You can't change any of that. Pepper even said so, and you can't sit there and tell me that the good General has a better head on his shoulders than you. Come on baby, you gotta cheer up. You're gettin' everyone depressed in here, and right after that great mission we had too." The avian paused for a moment, giving himself the chance to think on his teammates words, and shortly after, a smirk once again broke across his face. In one abrupt motion, the avian's head shot free of the wolves shoulder, an action that was followed immediately after by Falco using his own arms to quickly reign her head into his chest, speaking shortly after in a voice that seemed to have lost it's more quiet demeanor, "Heh, you're right Ayame, I got enough to worry about now, so it's really not even worth the time to worry about what happened back then. Besides, I'm sure McCloud can take care of himself just fine." The wolf, who had only been partially listening to the avian due to the fact that her grunts and yelps that resulted from her trying to escape from Falco's grasp had hindered her from hearing much at all, gave up on her futile efforts to free herself and said in a playful voice, "Ya sure, just wait until we get back to headquarters before you get too aggressive, alright? I don't know if you want to get carried away in front of everyone." At these words, the avian released Ayame's head and said in passive submission, "Alright, whatever, just be ready for me when we get back to HQ and we won't have a problem." The wolf rolled her eyes, but no response, leaving the limousine in silence once again as it slowly drifted across the peaceful streets of Corneria.

(The Spirit Realm)

A never-ending expanse of gently flowing blue, that was all anyone could see. It was not an unfamiliar place to her, but it was one that she had not wished to see so soon. It seemed like so long since that day, she had no idea how long, but she did know one thing. It had been too long. Too long since she had seen anything but this endless blue, too long since she had been able to feel the ground beneath her feet, too long since she had seen him. Months, years, centuries, all terms that seemed to have to purpose to this abandoned vixen. She had been alone for so long, it was almost as if time no longer mattered. All she knew was this eternal sea of blue, a color that could not better describe her feelings. Every fleeting moment without him, every second that passed seemed like an eternity. This desolate feeling of loneliness that she had never before known, it was now commonplace as she sat, her head buried in her arms as the tears flowed without ceasing. It had always been that way, ever since she came to this place, a place that she had so often seen in her dreams. But this time there would be no escape from this place; she could not merely open her eyes and be gone from this place. She was stuck here with no way to leave, that is, there was no way for her to leave by her own will. The only one that could save her from this loneliness existed somewhere below, the one she had been crying for all this time, herself longing to find herself once again among his warm, calming presence. And as time passed, that feeling continued to grow stronger, her mind and body wanting nothing more than to be freed from this place and find their way back to him, but as of now, that was nothing more than a distant reverie. And so, as her memories continued to plague her, the vixen could do nothing but go on shedding more hopeless tears, knowing that there would be no one coming to comfort her in this dreadful place, surrounded in blue.

Suddenly, as if in her imagination, a gentle voice echoed towards her. Not once, but twice did she hear this entity, and a third time as well. Her tears ceased to fall as she heard this quiet voice calling out to her. After a great amount of hesitation, the vixen raised her head from her now tear-soaked arms, slowly scanning the area to find who was calling out to her, and it took little time for her to discover who. Almost immediately after opening her eyes, she noticed two faintly distinct figures approaching her from a short distance away. Through her tear-ridden eyes, she could not effectively identify these figures, but after wiping them clear with whatever part of her hands that still remained somewhat dry, she could easily tell who these figures were.

The vixen hesitated slightly as she recognized these approaching figures, which was followed shortly after with a somewhat clumsy attempt to stand. After successful doing so, she could only watch on as they continued to advance toward her even further, until these two almost imaginary figures stood nothing more than a few feet in front of the vixen. It was here that she took her first steps within this sacred realm, closing the distance between herself and these newly appeared entities as she spoke in a fatigued tone of voice.

"Mother…Father, I'm…I cannot stand it. If this is the place of Cerinian rest…why must I endure…all of these emotions…why do I feel tired…?"

The vixen's departed parents looked upon her with great sympathy, as if they wanted to reach out and help their child, but strangely enough, they did not. Her Father shook his head, his eyes seeming to reflect the news he was about to impart on his daughter. He took a single step forward, as if her were about to reach out and take her in her arms, but this is where he stopped, speaking in a voice that seemed to hold no emotion at all.

_Daughter, it is so good to see you again…even if this is not the greatest of circumstances. Your mother and I are very proud of what you have done for the universe…_

This time is was the vixen's turn to shake her head at her Father, speaking a voice that seemed almost slightly irritated, "You…do not want to tell me. Why am I like this? Why do I carry on…after all you told me about this…terrible place? How come I am not…at peace here?"

The vixen's mother closed the distance between herself and her husband, causing the young vixen's attention to be drawn to her. When this illusionary figure saw the glare her daughter was giving her, it seemed as if it was impossible to try and protect her from the truth any longer. The vixen's mother lowered her head, speaking in a quiet and somewhat regretful voice shortly after.

_It is true that the Spirit Realm is a place of Cerinian rest, but you, my daughter, are not yet a part of us. You may reside with us, you may be able to converse with the residents of this place, but there is one thing that you do not share with us of the Spirit Realm, and that is simply the fact that you are not dead. It is as if you are living in an eternal dream, or in your case, an eternal nightmare._

The young vixen was greatly taken aback by her Mother's words, even though she did not fully understand what that meant. An eternal dream, one that she could not exit no matter how hard she struggled. It was not completely clear, but she did understand one thing, she wanted out. The vixen's expression faded from that of aggression to more of a look of hidden desperation, an expression that perfectly matched her tone of voice as she spoke in reply, "If I am not dead, as you say, then why am I here?"

This question was quickly answered by the vixen's Father, which he did so in a simple voice.

_You are here, my daughter, because this is where Fox needs you the most. You see, in the realm of the living, there exists a evil so great, that it is impossible for any you reside there to destroy it. Perhaps it has appeared to have been done away with, but each time it reappears, as if nothing ever happened. That is because he, or rather, his spirit resides in both realms. Because of this, he is able to reek havoc on both worlds, and no one will ever be able to stop him. That is, until you appeared. The cooperative effort of yourself and Fox McCloud is the only thing that can truly destroy this evil...a force that we here in the Spirit Realm have come to know as Andross._

_

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_AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yo! Dis is mixmaster FoxMC thowing some new, totally phat Star Fox action in yo grill! It's gonna be sick dawgs! Yep, and man it feels good writing some good ol' Star Fox fanfiction. I'm really looking forward to this new story; I think I've got some great stuff in store for the readers. Anyway, the team sure is different these days, eh? This chapter was pretty much just a glance at what the heck happened to everybody between EotF and this story. I hope I made everyone hate Falco! I love to make people hate Falco! Or maybe you like him like this…uhh, that's cool too I guess. I don't know how long updates will be this time around, but don't be surprised if it's a month or more between updates. School and stuff, sorry. 

What's Your Opinion?  
In my quest for finding a better way to get the readers involved in my stories, I have decided to set up a little something for you to give me feedback on. It's easy, I'll give you a fewquestions and give you a few answers. In your review, just give me your answers. Depending on how many of each answer I receive will determine how the characters, missions, and maybe even the story itself is shaped. Not only will this allow the readers to feellike they aremore a part of the story, but I'll also force me to be more creative as an author to comply with what the readers prefer. Enough explaining, let's get down to it!

1. What's your opinion on OC's?

A. If they're well-developed and have personality, they're alright.  
B. I don't want new characters added to the Star Fox universe.  
C. OC's are usually lame and underdeveloped, I don'tlike em' at all.  
D. I don't care.

2. What's your opinion on Fox and Krystal being apart?

A. You retard, that's the stupidest thing I've ever seen in a story.  
B. That wasn't cool, but I can deal with it I guess.  
C. I guess it kinda adds to the drama of the story, so it's alright.  
D. It was a good idea, but I can't wait for them to be reunited.  
E. I don't care.

3. What's your opinion on the content of this story?

A. I like a more storyline heavy story, it doesn't bother me that much that there's not much action.  
B. This story is too innocent, where's all the blood and stuff?  
C. We need more playas like Falco in this story!  
D. More action would be cool, maybe lose a little bit of the descriptions and dialogue, they just seem to slow the story down.  
E. I don't care.

MAIL CALL: Well, since it's the beginning of a new story, I'm only answering the reviews I got that had a question in them, because I can just say thank you to the rest of you…

Fenrir Hellfyre  
Dude, I'm Bane. Just so you know. Man, it seriuosly sucks that Krystal had to die. Fox is gonna bring her back right? Like she did for him at the funeral? Anyways, can't wait for the sequel!

_FoxMC: That'd probably be a good assumption that Fox'll try to bring Krystal back, but I don't think it'll be easy when he's so depressed._

Whinnie  
NO! How... how COULD you? Do you torture us for flaming your story by taking Krystal out? NO!

_FoxMC: Well, I guess you could look at it that way, but I had this in mind the whole time, so I guess not._

NTHRUST69  
You sick little monkey! I will kill you! Just joking. Oh, didn't want to play golf so instead you made another chapter eh? Well your just taking the audience away from me. I dont blame you. I cant even think of a story and you can make a 10,0 word chapter because of all the thoughts inside your head. Whats the next chapter gonna be? The Great Fox loses cabin pressure? Rape? Um...wait...wait...its coming to me...uh? I dont know. You better give me some ideas. E-mail me. You know who I am. I just changed my fan fiction name.

_FoxMC: I don't know, I guess their all possibilities, but that may all depend on the feedback to give me in the previous section. And I still don't have any ideas…Gosh!_

Guest  
(The same guest as always)  
DIE FoxMc! YOU GET ALL THE FAME AND GLORY AND IT'S NOT FAIR FOR THE OTHER FICS IS IT...IS IT?

_FoxMC: Hmm...I guess not, but it's not really my fault! If more people wrote good stories, I'm sure they'd get thier due publicity as well. So ya, I don't really want to die, thanks for the offer though._

Masterchief101  
?- If you could have music in your story, what would it be?

_FoxMC: I actually wanted to give this new story a theme song, but I couldn't figure out a way to do that without it looking stupid. So I'll just say that song right here. I was thinking Kelly Clarkson's, "Behind These Hazel Eyes." From Fox's perspective, I think the song is just perfect. So if your reading this story and want some music that'll go with the story, listen to that and you'll think it's even more awesome. Oh, and "My Immortal," was my inspiration for killing Fox, I thought of killing Krystal on my own…heh, RUN AWAY!_


	2. A Feline's Promise

Chapter 2: A Feline's Promise

No matter where he looked, no matter where he turned, all that could be seen was an endless plain of hazy blue. But this familiar unending blue was nowhere near the front of his mind. The only thing he was concerned with was finding her, somewhere within the haze. He would run one direction, his gait forced and awkward looking. He was tired, his legs about to give out. He had been running for hours without end, each of his searches ending in the same failure. And he knew that it would stay that way no matter how hard he looked, but it didn't seem to matter. He was never going to give up the search, because doing so would be giving up on her. It would mean that he truly had forgotten just how much she had meant to him, and it was for this reason that he continued running, never even stopping to take a breath of air.

Suddenly, almost as if out of nowhere, there came an unexpected voice, one that spoke out to him with a calm tone, "Hey Fox, it's been a while, huh?"

It was at this point that the vulpine stopped running, allowing himself to get a few good breaths in as his head swiveled rapidly in an attempt to locate the source of this voice. It was several seconds after this initial intrusion into the silence this blue shrouded realm contained before the voice echoed past him once again, "Hey, look behind you Fox, I'm right here."

Immediately after hearing this, the slightly confused vulpine turned to face the opposite direction, and much to his disbelief, he could see a figure approaching him from the distance. He squinted hard in an attempt to find who it was, but this misty blue that shrouded this place prevented him from doing so. Because of this, he took a few short steps closer in hopes that he may identify this new figure in the distance. As soon as he did so however, the figure that stood in the distance spoke in a the same, slightly calming voice, "Hang on a sec Fox, you're not going anywhere. I'll come to you, alright? Just wait a minute and I'll be right there."

He did so, but having been running for so long to find her, he quickly found that he was not in the mood to wait. He looked over towards the shrouded figure and called out in a weak voice, "Are you…the one I've been looking for? You sound so familiar but…you, are you the same animal?"

The figure that stood in the distance wasted no time in replying, "Don't worry about that, just give me some time and you'll figure it out."

This was not the answer this now greatly aggravated vulpine wanted to hear. He shook his head quickly in rebuttal, commenting in a voice that still seemed to be under control, "You don't understand…if that really is you, I want to see you…right now. I've been waiting so long…" At these words, the confused vulpine broke out into a gradual sprint, speaking in a tired voice as he did so, "I don't want to wait anymore. I want to see you again…and I…"

Before the vulpine could finish his statement, he suddenly noticed out of the corner of his eye that a second figure had abruptly appeared off in the distance. Like the first figure, its image was blurry, once again leaving Fox with no idea of who it might be. But these thoughts were quickly forgotten as this newly appeared figure began to charge in a rapid motion towards the first, as if he intended to attack. Immediately upon seeing this, the vulpine attempted to yell out in a desperate voice to warn the one he had previously been speaking to, but to his great surprise, no matter how loud or how many times he attempted to shout out his warnings, the words would not come out. This sudden aberration caused instant panic within the vulpine, forcing him to watch with open eyes as the second figure quickly overtook the first, and with nothing more than a horrified scream, the attacked figure fell hard to the ground, it's now generously flowing blood being the only break in the eternal wash of blue.

The vulpine instantly froze in place, his eyes wide with shock as he absorbed all that had just happened among this blue haze. It was just like before, just like when Scales had fought her on that day. The day that had been so fresh in his mind for so long. Before the vulpine had time to react, this new figure began to emit an enormous, booming laughter. A malevolent laughter so dauntingly familiar, that it instantly sent chills of absolute terror throughout his body. This familiar chortle lasted for only a short time, which was followed by this figure quickly making its way towards the stunned vulpine, speaking out to him in a voice that he had never wanted to hear again.

"You're next, Fox McCloud. And this time, you won't be able to return from this place. I will personally make sure of that, my friend."

The vulpine's eyes closed hard, which in doing so prevented him from seeing what was about to happen. All that he could see now were the memories from that mission, one that ultimately had caused his death because of a similar predicament. And just like before, he could do nothing more than wait for death to overtake him. He could hear the figure approaching fast, its silent footsteps pounding furiously against the nothingness that sat below them. This sound repeated for only a few seconds, ending only as the figure prepared to impart the finishing blow to this feeble, broken vulpine.

Suddenly, just as this was about to occur, a loud bell rang out across the empty blue plains, which somehow caused this unknown creature to freeze in its place, which it did so with a scream of what sounded like sheer pain. This melodic bell rang several times, each chime being spaced out by a matter of seconds, causing a strange sounding break among the silence of that desolate place. It was after the echo of this strangely peaceful bell slowly faded into the distance that the vulpine noticed something else. Not only had the bell stopped, but the screams of his attacker had stopped as well, leading the vulpine to believe that it how somehow left him. But before he could even attempt to open his eyes to see for himself, another familiar voice echoed above him, one that he had not heard since that day almost an entire year ago.

_Fox…Xantia, there you will begin to understand. Go now, you have no time to waste. She, as well as the entire galaxy, is waiting my son. Don't let either of them down…_

Immediately upon hearing this voice, the vulpine matched it with its source, and with sudden yet subtle eagerness, he opened his eyes and said in a tone that matched his expression, "Mother…?"

His own voice seemed to startle him, but that was not the only thing that had done so at that moment. As he opened his eyes, he quickly found that he was no longer surrounded by that endless flow of blue, but rather found himself in a much more familiar environment. He hesitated for a moment, quickly realizing that he was back in his own room, which was now fully illuminated by merit of the morning Cornerian sun. The vulpine took a deep breath and quietly brushed aside the small amount of moisture that had accumulated on his face as a result of his perturbing dream. His hand hesitated atop his furry head as he thought back to what he had just seen, what he had just heard.

_Why can't you all just leave me alone? I don't want to hear those voices…or see that place ever again. She's…gone, and I'll never see her again. If I go out and try to fix everything, I'll probably just screw it up again, and if someone's gonna cause the destruction of the galaxy or something weird like that, it's not gonna be me. It's someone else's problem, and I really don't want any part of it. This is all I have to look forward to, and I've accepted it. So just…leave me alone, please…_

The pensive vulpine was abruptly cut of at this point in his thoughts as a sudden noise broke out from above him, a soft chiming noise that seemed oddly familiar. But to the vulpine, this ringing noise was not the most welcome of things. His doorbell, someone had come to see him. Over the past year, he had learned that opening his door to people was not the best of actions he could take. Often it would be reporters from the Cornerian media trying to interview him, a proposition he had never once accepted. And because of this, there was rarely a time when he would even approach his entryway, but somehow, he felt as if he should answer the door, that this was not merely another futile visit from one of the many media companies that were on Corneria. It was strange, but he felt no need to resist. The vulpine quietly stood from his bed, and with a gait as hesitant as his thoughts at this point, he slowly made his way free from his large bed room and out towards the source of this gently echoing sound.

(Cornerian Highrise)

Through a window that stretched across the entire wall of this large and beautiful room shone the gentle glow of the Cornerian sun, just as it peaked over the crest of the distant mountain ranges. These warm rays slowly filled up this room, gradually illuminating the well-sized space as the sun slowly rose higher and higher, until eventually the room was completely filled with this soothing ray of orange light. Usually, this event would be met with great hesitance by the resident of this extravagant room, but today, it was viewed for what it truly was, a beautiful, natural event that few have truly had the opportunity to appreciate. The young girl's interest in this morning's event quickly faded however as she placed her head in her hands once again. Not doing so out of sorrow, but out of mere contemplation. Today was the day she was going to fulfill her promise to her dear friend, a friend she had not seen for what seemed like far too long. She had gone in and out from this position as her legs hung freely over the edge of her large bed, but now that the sun had fully risen in the Cornerian sky, she finally willed herself free from this head in hand position and dropped her feet the short distance down to the ground, which in doing so inspired a slight sigh from the young girl. It would not be easy, but she had made a promise, one that she intended to keep no matter how much she doubted the effectiveness of her plan. Despite this however, the now standing creature slowly took her first steps away from her bed, her mind filled with mixed thoughts as she did so.

As she walked, her eyes scanned across her large room, hoping that perhaps doing so would distract her, and maybe make her feel more at ease about what she was about to do in the coming hours. She never seemed to get tired of doing this; especially during mornings like this were every object that sat within this large room cast their own, uniquely shaped shadow, ones that seemed to directly contrast the array of colors that accompanied the sunrise. As much as she wanted to enjoy this sight however, the thoughts of that one vulpine still intruded into her mind. No matter how long a time it had been since their team had parted ways, the memories of him, as well as all of his seemingly flawless attributes, were still fresh. He was a great leader, always putting his team's safety before his own. Not only was he brave, but he was so kind, and caring. Even though he was the most famous name in all of Lylat, he was never throwing it in people's faces, but merely kept it to himself, something that she had never seen in an animal before...

That word, before. Just the mention of that word made her remember back to those days. Not the days of her being on the Great Fox, trying to end the mind controls of those planets. These newly recovered memories were of a time even further into her past. Memories she had wished she could forget forever, but like so many other things in her life, she found it was impossible for her to do.

Her pace quickened at this point, not liking where her own thoughts were headed, and because of this, she soon found her way into her comparatively small bathroom of her residence. After successfully doing so, she quietly closed the door behind her, breathing with a deep sigh as she did so. So many things had happened since that day, but among all of these happenings, this girl was given far too few answers. And because of that single reason, this pink-furred feline had been living with such questions lingering in the back of her mind ever since that day, a day that seemed more recent to her at this very moment than it ever had before.

She remained in that same spot momentarily, not really feeling as if she ever wanted to move from the position she was in at that moment, but quickly reasoned herself out of it. After a few short steps across the cold tile that served as the floor of this room, she reached her arm past a draping, pink curtain that concealed a fairly large shower. She quickly activated the shower, adjusting the temperature to her exact liking before eagerly shedding her cloths and stepping into the humid spray of water that rained gently down upon her exposed fur.

This was her place of refuge, whenever she felt uneasy, this shower was the first destination the feline sought out for comfort, and it always had been. Whether it had been after a stressful day at the Academy when she was younger, an argument with her parents, or maybe more recently, a mediocre shoot at the studio, she could always seem to find the comfort she needed within the soothing comfort beneath this placid stream of warm water. There were only a few times that she could remember where her refuge failed to have its intended effect of her, and this was one of those instances. The moments that her mind was merely too busy to even consider enjoying the warmth her body was enveloped within. It was at these times that her worry truly began to grow, because it was those same thoughts and worries that she had no control over. It was at these moments that the feline could do nothing more than let her mind wonder off as the feeling of the calming water that ran gently down her body faded into the back of her mind.

_Fox…I know you need help…but what can I do? I mean, it's not like I've got some great advice for him, but maybe if he knows that someone is still worried about him he'll cheer up. It has been pretty much a whole year since she died, so he's gotta be over it at least a little bit by now I'd think. Actually, I'd think he woulda gotten over this whole thing a long time ago. Stuff happens, and sometimes there's not much you can do about it. At least…that's what I told myself back when McCloud was dead. But is that really the right thing to do? Saying that makes me think I was just trying to get the blame on someone else…and I guess I really did. No way did I want to be held responsible for that injury Fox got on Katina, but…if I coulda got through that door before it closed…maybe I could have…_

The feline's thoughts hesitated here, her mind quickly recalling everything that happened on that day. And not long after that, the rest of the mission came back into her mind, creating a surge of oddly painful memories to flood back into her mind. Because of this sudden reoccurrence within the feline, she suddenly began to feel somewhat lightheaded, and was forced to place a suddenly shaky hand against the wall of the shower for support. The surprised feline froze in place, shortly after raising her free hand toward her chest, only to find that her heartbeat had somehow become much faster. From here, the somewhat frightened feline raised her free hand against her forehead as her vision fell towards the shower floor, her thoughts completely taking over as she did so.

_What the heck was up with that? Am I really getting that worked up about that mission? It…all happened a really long time ago, but now it seems like the whole thing happened yesterday. Why am I acting up like this…right when I was about to talk some sense into McCloud…but how can I do that, if I don't even feel that great about it myself? So many things happened during that week or whatever it was…and I think I'm gonna make all that better just by showing up at his house and telling him he couldn't have changed how things worked out? But…I can't sit around and let the guy stay in this depression or whatever he's going through right now. I'd think if I was him…I'd want to know someone still cared. Maybe…that's all I need to do, tell him that I'm still behind him. I'd sure like to think it was that easy, but I gotta take a stab at it at least. If anything, I think that's what she would want me to do for him. She might not be around anymore to help him through times like this, but I am, and I'll do whatever it takes to get him through this..._

As these final words echoed in her mind, the feline quickly righted herself into a normal posture, taking a quiet sigh after successfully doing so. Whatever had just caused all these thoughts to reoccur within her mind had gone, allowing the pink feline to regain control of herself. At first, that abrupt recovery of those memories had seemed like one of the worst things she had ever experienced, but now, it seemed as thought it was the force that would drive he to fulfilling that promise. During the entire duration of the team's time apart, this feline had always been nervous of confronting their leader as she did once before, but now whatever doubts she once seemed to have fled from her thoughts. She felt a sort of sudden driving energy that motivated her beyond what she would have believed possible. A moment ago, her focus may have been solely on what hardships that mission had brought about in her life, but for the first time in nearly a year, she could finally feel herself overcoming those memories. And the only way she could complete this process was to assist Fox in his time of greatest need.

_I don't know if I really did let McCloud down before, but I'll make sure that it doesn't happen again. I'll do whatever it takes to get Fox back on his feet, and knowing what he's had to go through, it probably won't be easy. But I didn't think getting over Falco would be easy either…and it wasn't, but it was Fox's advice that got me over him. And now…because of him, I'm one of the most famous animals on Corneria. I've been able to do so much after moving on from Star Fox, and if anything, I'm gonna pay Fox back for all he's done for me…_

Her own words seemed to bring the feline completely out of whatever doubt she had previously experienced, a fact that was immediately made apparent to her as the gently flowing water that washed over her body quickly regained its feeling of soothing warmth. A sensation that could now freely take its desired effect on the feline, whose thoughts could now easily be centered on the water's comforting warmth as the worries of her upcoming visitation seeming to be carried away from herself and down the drain thanks to the water's placid spray.

(Cornerian Countryside)

Everyone who knew about the planet Corneria had always regarded it as a massively developed world, one where technology and tall skyscrapers prevailed. But there was another part of this planet that few knew, including several of the animals that resided on the planet themselves. It is true that Corneria is a land of great technology, but there were still very few areas of this great planet that had not been caught up in the seemingly endless technological expansion of the planet. A place where trees stood high above the ground, and pristine blue lakes and steams glistened with the magnificence of the Cornerian sun. It was a place of refuge for those who had grown tired of the busy life in the city, and none could ask for a better way to do just that. There were no buildings, no traffic, no pavement, just natural beauty that could be seen as far as the trees would allow. It was rare for a vehicle to penetrate into this technologically void area, but this was one of those times. On a lone dirt road, one that wound slowly through whatever break within the trees and brush that could be found; a single hovercar could be seen. It was sorely obvious as well, not only because of it's metal exterior and but because the bright pink color that covered it completely contrasted all that stood within this peaceful wooded area. The driver didn't seem to notice this however, herself being too awestruck by the green majesty that surrounded her. She had lived on this planet for much of her life, and not even she had partaken of this sight before. The forest was only a temporary distraction however, because she knew that as every second passed, she was slowly coming closer to her intended destination. A destination she was both anticipating, as well as dreading at the exact same time. She knew this had to be done, Fox had to emerge from his current state and move on with his life, and she wasn't going to leave until that happened. Yet, even with this devout mindset, the feline had very little idea of what she could actually say to accomplish such a task. There was so much about this entire ordeal that she did not understand, but that was not going to stop her. The words would come to her, she just knew it. There was no way she was going to let Fox down again, and that's all she needed to know.

It had been almost a full two hours of this sea of green before her ultimate destination finally appeared through whatever few glimpses of open air the trees provided. In a large clearing, one that looked highly conspicuous among the surrounding greenery, stood an enormous house, one that seemed unusually large for a single animal to reside within. The building itself was of a plain white color, its exterior standing a full three stories from the ground before a dark black roof prevented the edifice from climbing any higher. Among the white exterior sat many windows, each giving nothing more than a partial glimpse into the lonely vulpine's large abode. As her vehicle managed to gain entrance into this clearing, she guided her pink vehicle along a perfectly white fence line, one that ended only when it came to the edge of a neatly paved driveway, one that stretched for several yards before coming to a stop at the foot of the house. The feline carefully guided her vehicle onto this manicured pavement, slowly gliding across its surface until she sat only a few feet away from his front door. She hesitated here, remembering back to the time when she had done this exact same thing almost a year ago, but she quickly diverted her mind from these memories as she quickly dismounted from the vehicle and gradually made her way towards the front door, the only door she had ever seen on this entire household.

It was only a matter of seconds after she had left her hovercar before she stood only inches in front of the vulpine's house. All she had to do now was ring the doorbell and hope that he would answer. She raised her hand to do so, but found herself hesitating slightly as she did so. This was something she knew she had to do, but the fact that she still did not know what to say drifted in the back of her mind, causing a small amount of doubt to seep back into her former confidence. The feline could tell what was happening, and before this slowly reoccurring doubt could control her thoughts, she eagerly thrust a single pointed finger forward, depressing a small button to the side of the vulpines door that resulted in a pleasant chime to echo from within. The pink feline smirked slightly, feeling that she had really accomplished something just by ringing that doorbell. She waited for a few moments, pressing the doorbell a few more times at regular intervals, and before long, she could hear quiet footsteps approaching the door, a sound that was then replaced by a turning door handle, and then the noise of the slightly creaking door as it gently swung open. It was only seconds after all this happened when she caught her first glance of the vulpine in nearly a year. She smiled upon seeing his unemotional-looking face and said in a voice that matched her expression, "Hey Foxboy, it's been a while since I've seen ya. How's it goin'?"

Fox's features remained even as he saw the pink-furred feline, making it clear that he was not as excited to see her as she was to see him. But before the vulpine could take the same action as he had during her previous visit, she quickly walked in through the now open door while making a casual observation, "Wow, think this place is big enough for you? I mean, Pepper might be the highest paid guy on Corneria, but I bet his house isn't half this big." Fox merely watched in slight confusion as the feline walked in without invitation. With the same mindset, he quietly closed the door, merely looking on as Katt continued to saunter aimlessly around this area of his house. Without any regard to what the feline had been saying over the past few moments, Fox slowly approached her and asked simply in a flat tone of voice, "What are you doing here?"

This question quickly brought Katt back to the matter at hand. She wasn't here to beat around the bush like this; she came to help Fox get his life straitened out. And so, upon his questioning, she said plainly in reply, "I came to help Fox." This statement instantly caused the vulpine to turn his head from the feline, which he followed by slowly walking away from her. Before he got too far, he quickly pointed towards the door she had just passed through and said in a quiet voice, "Leave, I don't want anybody here right now…I'm really busy." This caused a slight chuckle to arise from within the feline, after which she sarcastically replied, "Busy? With what, you take up knitting or something? Sorry Fox, but I'm not buyin' it. Besides, I didn't come all the way out here to say hi." Katt quickly closed the small distance that the vulpine had put in-between them, speaking out in a calm voice as she managed to successfully do so, "Listen, I just want to help you out Fox. I'm not here to make you feel guilty. Just give me…"

Before the feline could finish, Fox abruptly turned around, his face now full of emotion as he spoke out against her, "I don't want to talk about it, alright? Just get out of here and worry about yourself." The feline was slightly taken aback by the vulpine's tone of voice, but she only shook her head before offering a reply, "Not a chance Fox, I'm not leaving until I talk some sense into you. I don't care how long it takes, I'm gonna get you through this." After hearing this, it was Fox's turn to shake his head, which he did while responding quietly, "Then you're going to be here for a really long time. Just…leave and forget about me."

Katt hesitated here, not sure of what she could do to make Fox change his mind, but the only thing she needed to know was that if she was successful in bringing Fox out of his current state, he would finally be able to move on with his life. It was something she had wanted to do for so long, and she had finally got the opportunity to do so. After this brief pause, the feline gently reached out and placed her hand against the vulpine's shoulder, speaking in a calm voice, "I'm not giving up on you just like that Fox. You mean too much to this planet, you know they all want to see you're alright. Even though a year went by, animals still look up to you Fox. And…I want you to get over this." She paused slightly, not knowing what type of reaction the vulpine would give, but to her surprise, it seemed as if he was not going to make any motion in response, which spurred the feline to continue on in the same tone of voice, "I can still remember that time back on the Ladekahn, I was having some serious issues back then. Maybe I only told you about a few of those issues, but just having someone around to support me during times like that…you have no idea what a help it was. Now seeing you like this, it really makes me see why you would do something like that for someone else. No one wants to see their friends in pain, and…I'm no exception. I want to help you Fox, but I can't do anything unless you let me, alright?"

After finishing her reasoning, the feline looked with anticipation towards the vulpine's head, hoping that it would soon turn, revealing a much brighter, understanding expression. She did so for a few moments, but was soon jolted from her optimistic mindset as he gently shrugged her hand off his shoulder and began to walk away from her. It took her a second to realize what had just happened, after which she spoke out in slightly confused voice, "Wait Fox, where are you going? Don't you have anything to say?" The vulpines body stopped as he heard these words, an action that was followed as he turned his face towards the pink-furred animal that stood behind him. His expression remained even as he spoke in simple reply, "You want to help, right? Then follow me, there's something I should show you." A slight smirk broke across the face of the feline, she had done it. It would only be a matter of minutes before she would set Fox straight, before he would finally be able to move on with his life. It had been almost an entire year since that day, but the time for Fox to put it all in his past had finally arrived. With this positive outlook placed firm within her mind, the now subtly ardent feline quickly made her way after the vulpine, knowing that as she did so, she was slowly coming closer to fulfilling her long-standing promise to this vulpine.

(Spirit Realm)

Andross…

It was such a simple word, but it was also one that held great meaning to the young vixen. How could it be the same Andross that had killed Fox's father, and almost destroyed the Lylat system so many years ago? The same Andross that Fox had defeated only a few weeks before their confrontation with General Scales? Perhaps Andross had caused many problems even before the Lylat war. She didn't know, how could she? These thoughts clouded her mind for a moment and she felt as if she were to begin crying again. Just the thought of him and what had happened made her want to cry. It had been so long… so very long without him. It was worse than death. Death was supposed to mean peace, but her parents told her she was not truly dead. Were the scrolls wrong, or had they meant this from the very start? They had said that there would be many hardships, and even her parents said there would be more trials. Trials harder than when Fox was dead. Could this be what it had meant? That she was destined to die, in order to help destroy a threat greater than any had ever known? But when the scrolls were created, Andross didn't exist, or did he? It was too confusing… She turned back to her parents, her voice containing both confusion and desperation as these questions further enveloped within her mind.

"A…Andross? But how…how can he exist…in both worlds? How can his spirit reside in both realms?" This question seemed like a complete paradox to her; no matter how she tried to explain it, there was always something impossible about it. Nothing seemed real at this point, was this a dream? She knew it couldn't be, the fresh images in her mind, as well as the now healed scars that were strewn across her body from that brutal fight, were proof enough. But her parents were not the ones to answer her question. A new figure appeared and answered her question. The vixen looked Cerinian, and strangely enough, the young vixen almost believed to be looking at herself. This new vixen had bright green eyes, eyes she recognized. This was the spirit of Fox's mother. Her head hung low, her face heavy, as if the news she was to impart was as grim as death itself.

_It is unknown why Andross can exist in both worlds. It is an enigma that we who dwell in this realm cannot solve. But, like your father has said, Andross is wreaking untold havoc on both worlds as we speak. Spirits, who are normally safe in their resting places, are disappearing as if they had never existed. This is also a mystery we know not the answer to, and this is but one reason the remaining spirits are terrified. All we know presently is that he is manipulating a dark energy that enables him to make spirits disappear from this realm. How he obtained his dark energy is also a mystery. As you can plainly see, there is much that we do not understand._

The vixen sank to her knees. Andross had so much power that he could destroy the dead? How could one being have that kind of power? It was almost as if he was… a god. How does one stand up against a god? Then something else came to her mind. If Andross was slowly destroying spirits from this realm, then her parents and Fox's mother would also disappear given enough time. She had to do something… but she felt so helpless without Fox. She was alone here, and she felt weak. She wondered what her vulpine counterpart must be thinking. But it was a pointless thought, she already knew. He, like herself, would want nothing more than to find the simple, warm comfort of each others presence. But if she ever had any hope of ever seeing him again, Andross had to be stopped. She slowly arose, with no small effort. She was weary, afraid, and alone, but her only hope of seeing Fox ever again rested in the task these spirits set before her. Her voice was shaky and weak, and she was near to tears, but she managed to speak again, "How…do the spirits disappear?" The vixen's father again spoke, shaking his head sadly.

_It is a terrifying fate. One that, other than for the sake of informing you, shall never again be discussed between anyone who resides here. Using an unknown type of dark energy, Andross' spirit places the residents of this realm in a trance-like state. It is as of yet unknown what takes place as this occurs, but it is clear that the proceedings of this occurrence are highly undesirable. We have seen several of such instances, spirits are unresponsive to our calls, no matter how hard we may try. The only movements they make are of sheer pain. Abrupt convulsions, the screaming out of family and friends, and several more that I dare not mention. This only happens for a short time however, because after these spirits finally appear to have shed whatever symptoms this dark energy had caused, that is when it happens. Their very spirit begins to glow a deep red, a red that glows for only a few brief seconds before this light, as well as the spirit itself, completely disappears from this realm._

This news was even more shocking. Andross was destroying the inhabitants of this world! Shaking her head, the vixen struggled to comprehend the severity of the crisis. But what was he trying to accomplish? How long had he been doing this? Then something else struck her, a thought that she had previously forgone. This was the Cerinian resting place! Why was he destroying spirits from here? She shook her head again, and looked back up at the three spirits and asked, "Why would he do such a thing…why does he continually try to discontinue our race?" The vixen's mother took a step toward her and sullenly replied.

_We Cerinians are the only ones who can stop Andross' reign of terror. Fox has done it twice, where his father had failed. James was not Cerinian, and therefore he lacked the power to defeat Andross. For this reason he is trying to destroy us completely, both in the physical world and here. Ever since Andross' exile, and after our own deaths, our people have been appearing here far too often, especially with the destruction of our planet. We are a dying race, here are so few of us left now, Fox being the only one who still resides in the realm opposite our own._

The vixen sank back down onto the 'ground,' and found herself unable to speak. Why were the Cerinians the only ones who could stop him? The deeper into this she went, the more baffling it became. It seemed as if there was no way out of this. How could one destroy something that had power over both the living and the dead, influencing the living to destroy each other, and then eliminating them for good in the afterlife? Slowly finding her voice, she looked back up at the spirits, her face almost blank, except for the pain shown in her eyes. "Why must…such a burden be placed on only the Cerinians? Why are we the only one's able to stop him?" Fox's mother spoke once more.

_We Cerinians existed long before our ancestors began recording time, perhaps even before other races had become civilized. It was long ago that we discovered the Energy of Life. It is a positive energy, using one's heart and soul to manifest it. Andross uses a perverted form of this, instead using negative energy. It is not even the Energy of Life, but something different then our own power, or rather, the exact opposite. Fox's previous triumphs over Andross have been in vein, for only once he fully understands the true power he holds within himself can he truthfully defeat this menace. If he is allowed to continue on in this way for much longer, he will complete his goal and no one will be able to stand up to his terrible power. But I digress; too much time has already been wasted. One full year has passed since your death, and Andross has made use of this time._

The vixen stared at them for a long while. She had been dead for a year… Was there any time here? Did it move quickly or slowly, and did it pass, flow, or even stop? Time was irrelevant to her now. She could think of but two things: Andross' return, and Fox. How could he be present in both worlds? Were the spirits that disappeared gone forever? Would she ever see Fox again? Would she ever be able to see him again? How was she supposed to stop Andross? What would Fox have to do? And what had happened to Fox since her death?

These questions flooded the vixen's mind. She knew what had to be done. Her heart was in pain, she longed to see Fox again, with every fiber of her being. Her soul called out to him. But in order to see him again, Andross had to be stopped. If Andross successfully destroyed both worlds, it wouldn't matter if either of them were alive or dead, they would never see each other again. She then thought what nothing could be like… and felt a cold dread pass over her body. What was nothing? Even in this vast expanse of barren blue, there was still something here. What could be nothing? She felt herself crying once again. She cried for the horrible fate they might endure, and she cried because she missed Fox. But this was her destiny. She believed in the scrolls, even through all the hardship they had brought her. In the end, she and Fox would live their days out happily. That was, unless this evil was not stopped. The young vixen could only pray that Fox could see it too. Slowly, she got up, determined even through the tears. No matter how much it hurt, she had made her decision. It would be long, and painful, but the hope of someday seeing Fox again made her strong enough to try and carry on. The young vixen lifted her gaze from the ground and looked back at the three spirits standing in front of her. In a voice that was shaky from tears yet determined nonetheless, she spoke.

"What must I do?"

-

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yo homies! I just got back from a little 2-day golf excursion and I'm really tired. But nevertheless, I have remained devout in my typingness and have delivered yet another chapter in this seemingly endless story. This chapter would not have come nearly as quickly if it were not for the efforts of Tribal Wolf, who I have placed in charge of typing the Spirit Realm section of the story with my supervision and slight editing. He is doing this so that I may not only update faster, but also so that I may have less to type, which is a great thing let me tell you. I have also employed an editor and a creative director, the first being FoxJD, and the later being sandman. I still do pretty much all the work, but I've just got some support, and it's really swell. Anyway, I'm out. See ya next chapter!

Co-Writer Tribal Wolf says:  
"Hey all you loyal fans 'o' Fox MC! This is his co-writer, BlueWolf419  
(AKA: Tribal Wolf)! So, thoughts on this chapter... Fox is really at a low  
point huh? Not accepting help and stuff, Katt's got her work cut out for  
her. And if that's not bad enough, Andross has to be destroyed on both  
fronts! Both Fox and Krystal are going to have some real troubling times  
ahead... Hopefully, they'll both manage, and we'll get to see them back to  
their old selves again! That would be a long ways off though... So yea, keep  
reading if you wanna find out!"

No typo's or anything, how awesome is this?

RANDOM NOTES: Ya! They finally started playing new episodes of Sonic X! Booyah! And they finally figure out how to draw with a little more consistency! Not only that, but One Piece is pretty much the best show ever. Tony Tony Chopper owns all other characters from any anime ever! I can say that because Sonic is a video game character, and Star Fox isn't cool enough to have a TV show…oh well.

MAIL CALL: I just got rid of your Q responses to cut back on the size of this section. Sorry if that hurts your feelings.

Fenrir Hellfyre  
Sweet. I love this already.

_FoxMC: Dude, you reviewed this about 20 minutes after I posted it. I didn't even know this website could update crap that fast. You're crazy dude…in a good way._

Specter 117  
AT LAST! A Journey Apart is in! Yeah! Remember me? I hope you do. I'm glad that you finally started A Journey Apart. So, Andross is back, eh? Well, I'm sure Fox & Krystal will kick his butt. If only I had a Gamecube!

_FoxMC: I'm glad I started it too. It's pretty much all I could think about this summer…now I have to think about it every waking moment of my life…yeah for me…_

deathscall  
Heyo, it's me anywho, so far so good... I never got the alert for the last chapter of your other story, so, i'll have to go check that out now... hm, but yea, the OC's are confusing yet, but, you barely introduced them this chapter, so, keep up the good work

_FoxMC: Ya, and you didn't even have to hear about em' in this chapter, but you will soon enough. Hope I can pull it off with the OC's._

AmberRose  
Your summary was one of the few on the main page that wasn't error ridden, and I have seen your name and fics around for a while, so I decided I'd read this fic. I am impressed for the most part, but please, divide up your paragraphs of d00m. It'll help especially if you make a new paragraph for each new speaker, or line in quotes. You're the writer, do what you will. I am awaiting chapter 2.

_FoxMC: I own the paragraphs of doom! Someone told me this before, not like I didn't know I should have spaced dialogue when different people are speaking, but this is just how I do it. And really, no one complains about it ever. I find it a little awkward for me to write dialogue when it's all spaced out. This way it seems to flow better as I write, so that's why I do it that way, and that's why I'll keep doing it that way. Good thing this is America!_

Chiise  
You did it again, you made one of them die, but unlike last time I have found another way to end it and its still pretty dumb. All roads lead to suck... Your story could still be good, just not great.

_FoxMC: All roads lead to suck. I remember you from my last SF fic. Said that killing one of the characters was unoriginal and…well, they lead to sucky endings. That's ok though, I'm just writing for fun, and dangit, you have your own opinion. My series may suck, but I'm having a great time in the process man._

sandman91  
Hey Fox MC. I was one of nameless people who reviewd your story at the end of Echoes of the Future, so I finally decided to get an account. Anyway, great start to the story. Hope Fox can get out of his depression soon and ressurect Krystal. Keep writing and don't make us wait too long.

_FoxMC: I don't know about that last part. With school and golf and work, I really only have about one and a half hours in the morning to type. I try and get about 2 pages done a day, and at that pace, I'd probably update about 2 or 3 times a month, which is pretty good. But I might get that cursed writers block, but that really doesn't happen to me very often…I just would rather watch Teen Titans and Sonic X than to type sometimes…_

Coldfire  
Good to hear from you again, MC! Great work on this chapter, interestin' to see how the team ended up after the story...I feel pretty bad for Fox now...lost one hell of a good woman...  
And...  
Falco makes me sorta sick.  
Katt has to keep her hands off of Fox.  
Fox has to find a way to revive Krystal already.  
Ho'kay. 'Nuff said. Later.

_FoxMC: I'm glad Falco made you sick, I don't like him, and no one else should either! Well...not really, but whatever._

Blondie On The Run  
Hey! Your back! Oh...sorry...I'm "Blondie On The Run", "running" from fic to fic, advising and writing my thoughts. You can think of me as a fan fic Santa. -Until next time, 'cuase I'm On The Run now!

_FoxMC: You are quite the random child, but gifts from Santa are always cool..._

Ir0n Falco  
I can't sleep! Clowns will eat me!

_FoxMC: Umm…That's too bad. …I guess this is why we have options to block anonymous reviews…whatever, good luck with that, man._

FoxJD  
Great start to da new sequel. Im so excited ta see da next chapter.

_FoxMC: Tanks Wheeler, Ah'm excited too!_

Dreamer for Lyf  
Now, for my review! THAT WAS AWESOME! Dude, you still got it. I feel so bad for foxboy... And Falco is - just so dumb. I never did like him, not that much at all. Well, this would be a long review but I really need to go. Please UDS  
-DFL

_FoxMC: Ya, Falco is dumb. Thanks for sayin' so. I'm also glad you thought this was awesome._

BlueWolf419  
Okay... This is going to be a long reveiw! Sorry... I kinda abandoned you, well not really I just lost access to the net. Anyway I'm back and let me reveiw!  
I think I prettymuch just did my reveiw... But yea... Anyway please let me reiterate how much I would like to see a happy ending... That doesn't include them both dying and living in the spirit realm! That would just suck, I hate bittersweet! Why can't something just have a happy ending! Sorry... Please, don't make me hate you and your story, because for all your talent, you suck if you can't give me a happy ending. Sorry, but that's my opinion. I see too many stories that suck because whenever I think about how it ended, it depresses me. Make yours end in a way that I can think back on it and be filled with a lot of emotions, all ending in pure unbridles happiness!  
I ranted... Anyway that's what I think! Keep up the good work, and I may e-mail you about helping write this if you still need the help.

_FoxMC: Gak, I dont' have the attention span to read so much text, but I did, thanks dude, you're a really swell guy!_

Whinnie  
After 2 whole months of waiting, we FINALLY hear from you. What up? I can't wait for the next chapter:D

_FoxMC: Sorry for the wait, I do have a life ya know, one that consists mostly of golf._

Ricky  
YES! Thank god, you started writing the next story. I swear man, I almost had a ceasar when I saw you started the next story. You rock! Just keep writing, and keep throeing out those chapters as quick as you can. can't wait for the next chapter, Ricky out

_FoxMC: You almost had a ceaser? You mean, Brutus almost stabed you or what? Ehh...i get what you mean._

Yami11  
Wohoo sequel time! Anyways...I'm loven the sory so far...I promise I'll have more in-depth reviews as the story goes on

_FoxMC: Ya, that review was totally weak sauce. But I really do appreciate it! Long reviews are teh pwnege!111!1 1_


	3. First Steps to Destiny

Chapter 3: First Steps to Destiny

Inside a large house that sat conspicuously amongst the trees of the largely unknown Cornerian Forest, two animals quietly walked. As they did so, they passed through several different room, each seeming to be completely different in size, as well as the objects that we placed within. But even so, whatever was held within those rooms seemed slightly less then there could be, but with one vulpine to fill the entire household, it was understandable. And that was a fact that the feline, who was silently following her vulpine guide, did not want to bring up after having what she determined as a small victory towards fulfilling her personal promise to this same vulpine. Instead, she merely continued to quietly scan around the bevy of rooms, not wanting to lose whatever chance she had just gained of getting Fox back to what he was before this entire ordeal ever started; a concept of thought that had now been placed firmly in her mind.

_Wow, that was a lot easier than I thought it'd be. A few cheesy lines and he's ready to talk. I guess I musta said something decent for him to just turn around on me like that, not that I'm complaining. Just as long as I do what I came here to do, it won't really matter. All I have to do now is just not say anything stupid, let him show me whatever it is he's got to show, maybe we'll get a few tears, and that'll be the end of it. Then we'll finally get to see the real McCloud, instead of this depressed whatever he is now. I mean, everybody that's ever heard of Foxboy looks up to him, and having him live through this crap everyday is not something anyone wants to see him go through. Heh, maybe I'll even get a little more notoriety on this planet if someone figures out that I was the one who got Fox past that last mission. Not that I really need any more publicity on Corneria, but I guess it can't be a bad thing…_

"…are pretty popular in the fashion world, huh?"

Katt quickly broke from her thoughts as this voice echoed across the room they were now walking through. She hesitated for a second, trying to figure out what he might have said before she began listening, but eventually answered vaguely, "…Ya, I guess."

Fox, who had never faced the feline since that had stood in the entryway, continued to walk, never looking back as he answered in a voice that still seemed to be devoid of any type of emotion, "You guess huh? Well…at least your modest about it. A lot of people would let something like that go right to their heads, especially when they're as popular as you." Katt, having now understood that Fox was talking about her modeling job, nodded with both relief, because she could now more properly respond, and subtle excitement, realizing that he had heard about her during these past months. Feeling as if Fox was trying to comfort himself by starting a conversation, she quickly replied in a slightly fervent tone of voice, "Ya, you could say I've been getting a little more attention since I've started modeling. It's a little nerve-racking to have people following you around all the time and asking for autographs, but I got used to it after a while." The vulpine kept his even tone of voice as he spoke back in the form of a question, "So…you like the attention you get, huh?" The feline nodded, adding shortly after, "Ya, it's really nice. There are just so many benefits to being well known, especially on a planet as big as Corneria. The attention I get really gets me motivated; I guess that's why I've been in the business for all this time. Hey, I won't deny it, being famous is one of the best things that's ever happened to me."

It was only seconds after that before the vulpine gave his subtle reply to the feline's statement, "I'm…glad it all worked out so well for you Katt. But…when everyone knows your name, and you think you're on top of the world...just when everything is coming together…and you think you'll never come down…that's when it hits you the hardest. You make one mistake, and all you worked for your entire life is lost. And once the fame is gone, all that's left is that single mistake…it's all you can think about. One mistake, and you're left with nothing. Just…be careful Katt, I don't want anyone to go through what I have…"

The vulpine continued walking through his house after finishing this statement, but the feline that had been following him did not. She stopped the moment he had stopped talking, realizing quickly that he was referring to whatever had caused the death of his blue-furred companion. The feline bit her lip gently as her thoughts took over.

_Oh, nice one Katt. It's only been like, five minutes, and I've already said something stupid. Now what, I gotta cheer him back up, but what the heck can I do to do that? I mean, it's not like the guy's been giving me any help here. He hasn't smiled, frowned, nothing. How am I supposed to know what he's thinking if he doesn't show me any kind of emotion at all? Maybe I should just shut up for once and not make this worse than it has to be. But…after that, I have to say something, don't I? Jeez, this whole deal seemed a lot easier in my head…_

After her brief hesitation, the feline saw that the one she had been following was now several steps ahead of her. Upon noticing this, she quickly regained her pace, while suddenly speaking in an unsure voice, "Don't worry Fox…I'll make sure not to end up like…" The feline quickly cut herself off as she realized what she was about to say. She mentally yelled at herself because of her careless words, but much to her surprise, the vulpine made no gesture or statement against what she had said, merely continuing to walk forward as he had for the past few minutes. After seeing this, the feline took a small breath of relief, while at the same time quickening her pace slightly, significantly closing the small space that Fox had created between them.

For the next few moments, these two animals walked silently through the mansion. The feline doing so mostly because of the fact that she did not want to say anything to offend the vulpine further than she felt she already had. Instead, she merely continued to scan the several different rooms as they passed through them, each of them seeming to be emptier as they went on.

It was not long after Katt had last spoken before the one she had been following came to a stop in front of a large metal door, one that seemed slightly out of place within the otherwise tasteful interior of the mansion. Shortly after arriving at the door, Fox took a few additional steps forward towards a small keypad. The feline watched on with slight interest as the vulpine did so, but after only a few short button presses, the vulpine backed away from the keypad, an action that was followed only by the metal door itself as it slowly and quietly swung open. After it had successfully opened, the vulpine gave a subtle motion for the feline to follow, which she did without any hesitation, finding herself increasingly curious about what Fox was about to show her.

Upon walking through the large metal door, it let off a slight amount of hydraulic noise before slowly came to a gentle close behind them. Neither of them really noticed this fact however, mostly due to the fact that they had both walked a good distance within the strangely familiar metal hallway that had sat behind the now closed door. It was only a few moments of walking however before they came to yet another metal door, one that was only seen because of a slight, rectangular indentation that could be seen touching the wall it sat against. It was as they stopped in front of this door that Fox once again turned towards Katt, asking in his same, emotionless voice, "Katt…why did you come here?"

The question came as quite a surprise to the feline, thinking that she had already fully explained why she had come. But for the sake of Fox's well-being, she quickly responded, "Well…I came here to help you out Fox. No one's seen you for pretty much an entire year, and I just figured that since you helped me back on the Great Fox, I wanted to help you out too…" Katt paused momentarily as Fox walked a short distance away towards this new door, but she quickly continued, knowing that he would still be listening, "You told me back on the Ladekahn that were should take care of each other as teammates, but that's not all Fox. We're friends, and that's why I wanted to get you through this. I don't want you to go through stuff like this…no one does. I guess…that's why I came here, alright?"

The vulpine did answer, he did not even make a gesture in the feline's direction. He merely continued to stare to the side of this new door, letting its now slowly opening surface to reply for him. As it rose, the feline could see the base of a large machine, a device that was soon followed by a strange looking glass. As the door slowly rose higher, the feline began to see something that was seemingly suspended within the strange glass. At first, she had no idea what it was, but as the door eventually rose to reveal the entire device, the feline could do nothing more than freeze in the place she now stood, her mind screaming out in disbelief as she realized just what…or rather, who was inside the glass. There were so many words she wanted to say at that moment, but they came out in an awkward manner merely because of the complete surprise that had just been imparted upon her, "…That's…but how, why did you do that? Wh…Fox, what are you doing to her?"

Fox never looked up, having seen this same sight almost every day since she had left him. He just took a deep sigh as a single tear fell down his furry cheek, an event which happened simultaneously as he spoke in a voice that had just begun to mirror the sadness that he was truly feeling, "So…do you still think you can help me Katt?"

(Cornerian Merc. Headquarters)

The Cornerian sun had been sitting well above the tops of the monstrous buildings that stood within the city for some time now, but despite the relatively late hour of the morning, there was little movement within this building. No creature stirred, each peacefully attempting to regain whatever sleep they had lost when they were on their mission to all those planets, all of them except for one. He was always used to waking up early, it was easier to do repairs and maintenance checks when there was no one around to bother him. But today was different. Today, there was nothing to repair; there were no tests to run or checks to make. Usually, there was always something he could do, something to make himself useful, but now, after he and the rest of his teammates had finished their mission, he quickly found himself bored. It was not a feeling he was accustomed to, generally because he was the one to either say something stupid or get others laughing because of his sheer clumsiness. But today, there was nothing but silence, and all he could do was quietly watch on as the sun continued to rise, his mind becoming lost in his own thoughts as he did so.

_Gee, I guess we might not have any more missions for a while now that we recovered all of those mind-controlled planets. I don't know what I'm going to do with all this free time I have now. Maybe I should go to the docking bays and see if any of those ships need repairs. Ya, that way I'll have something to do, plus I can earn the team some more money. I'm sure Falco wouldn't care if I went down there for a few days…not that he really ever cares about anything. …Sometimes I wish we got Fox back as our leader. Falco is good for fights, but he's not that friendly to me. Fox was always nice to me, and he was always making sure that I was doing ok. But there's no way that's gonna…_

The green toad was quickly cut off from his thoughts as a gentle beeping noise began to emanate from within his room. He scanned the room for only a second, soon spotting a slowly flashing indicator that sat upon a small console next to his bed. He took a few curious steps towards it, and after successfully doing so, he saw that this light was informing their headquarters of an incoming call. Seeing this quickly brought the toad out of his more pessimistic mindset, finding that feeling to have instead been replaced with a sort of subdued excitement. Maybe this call was from General Pepper, telling them that he already had another mission for them. It was exactly what the toad wanted at that moment, and without wasting anymore time than he already had, he quickly turned towards the door to his room, wanting to inform those of his team who may still be sleeping of the call he had just been informed about.

As he reached out to open the door that sat just in front of him, the surface of the door suddenly opened on its own, causing Slippy to abruptly fall back as it contacted him firmly against the side of his face. He let out nothing more than a surprised shriek, a noise that was followed shortly after by a regretful gasp. But the second was not form Slippy, but as the toad looked up with his hand against the side of his head, he saw the remorseful face of Kaya, who was one of the additions that were made when both Katt and Fox withdrew from the mind control mission. Like many of his teammates this animal was a little more than twice the size of the toad, with most of her white and black-striped coat of fur covered by an orange uniform, one that perfectly resembled the color of the tiger's eyes.

The toad himself however found seeing such things quite difficult at the moment, due mostly in part to his now blurry vision. He gave his head a few abrupt shakes, hoping that in doing so he may shed his now impaired vision, but after doing so for only a short time, he quickly gave up on his remedy. Instead, he looked up towards the face of the tiger with whatever sight he had and said in a wavering voice, "Oh…Kaya, so I guess you must have…seen that incoming call too." For a moment, the tiger did nothing in response, but after her initial hesitation, she quickly nodded and said in a quiet voice, "Slippy…I'm sorry." The toad may not have been able to see very well at that moment, but he could see well enough to notice that the feline that stood above him had begun to blush heavily. Slippy gradually managed to regain his footing, shaking his head as he did so, which he followed by saying in a slightly wavering voice, "Oh…it's alright. That happens to me all the time. Just…don't worry about it. Why don't you go to the conference room and I'll go get Falco and Ayame." With nothing more than a quick nod and a simple, "Ok," the feline quickly made her way down the hallway of this building, disappearing from the toad's sight shortly after she did so.

After allowing himself to regain whatever senses had left him as a result of his collision with the door, he soon found himself walking past the threshold to his room and setting a brisk pace down the hallways of the team's headquarters. As he did, his continued trying to figure out what exactly this transmission would say. It could be from almost anybody, and it could mean nothing at all, but whatever slim chance that it could be Pepper with another mission, that was what the toad wanted. He wanted to be out in space, saving the world from bad guys like he did on the Great Fox. Maybe he wasn't the biggest factor in the actual destruction of whatever they were fighting against, but just the experience was enough for him. He never really made this clear verbally to anyone before, but the thrill of adventure was there, even if he had a different way of approaching it. The anticipation of this incoming transmission slowly built up within him, but was somewhat abruptly halted as he reached his intended destination, a closed door at the far end of the dormitory section inside their headquarters.

As he reached this point, he quickly reached out to open the door that sat in front of him, but he quickly and nervously jerked his hand away as he heard a sudden and rather loud giggle arise from within the room. Slippy hesitated as he heard this, only to hear a seconds voice speaking in a tone to low for him to clearly decipher. After hearing yet another giggle from beyond this door, Slippy quickly made the connection, but not without his face fading into a light shade of red. But despite how awkward it seemed for the toad, he slowly reached out with his clammy fist and knocked several times on the door, speaking in a strange sounding voice after doing so, "Uhh…Falco? We have an incoming transmission, and I think we should go see what it's about. Do you think you can get to the…"

Slippy's speech ended here as he heard several more noises coming from beyond the door. It began with several quiet whispers, a noise that was followed by what seemed like frantic footsteps that sounded from all around the inside of the room. It was only a few moments after these noises began before the door Slippy stood in front of cracked open slightly, allowing Falco to quickly slide out without letting anyone see inside. The falcon looked down towards Slippy with a smirk as he spoke nonchalantly, "Hey Slip, what's up? You say something about an incoming transmission?" The toad hesitantly looked away from the sweat-beaded face of the avian, speaking in a voice that continued to sound slightly uncomfortable, "…Ya, someone's trying to call us…and I think we should see who it is." The avian nodded, which he followed immediately after by pointing down the hallway and speaking a much more hurried voice, "Good idea Slippy, why don't you head down there and I'll meet you. Just…hurry, let the transmission through and tell whoever it is that I'm on my way, alright? So just get down there before…"

Before the avian could finish, the previously closed door swung open with a slight squeak, a noise that was followed immediately after by a third, more irritated voice, "What the heck was that about Falco? You just ditch me back there without saying a word. What is up with…" The voice wavered at this point as the speaker noticed Slippy standing there, and then realizing that she was standing in the open air with nothing to cover her. Because of this, the canine pulled the door towards her, effectively covering her up from unwanted eyes, which really was not a problem at all as the innocent toad passed out in front of the two animals as a result of the scene that had played out in front of him. Both the animals hesitated for a moment as they looked at Slippy's now motionless body, the wolf being the first to speak after doing so, "Good god, you could have told me there was someone at the door you idiot! Its not like I can hear when you're…" Falco quickly cut her off with his own slightly irritated speech, "Holy crap, I had everything under control until you had to walk out here like that! Just shut up and get dressed already. Not much we can do about it now, is there?" The wolf was about to make a retort, but instead took an aggravated sounding sigh before withdrawing back into the room and closing the door behind her. The avian did nothing more watch as she did so, shortly after returning his attention to the toad that remained unconscious on the ground. Falco shook his head as he waited for Ayame to return, speaking quietly to himself as he did so, "I don't know why I even try to put up with crap like this all the time…"

(Conference Room)

It had been nearly a half an hour since the incident with Falco and Slippy, and now each of the animals found themselves sitting around one large table. In the middle of this table was a small protrusion, one that served as the projector of the holographic image that would accompany the transmission. There was very little speech as Slippy tried to pass the incoming call, most of it coming in the form of several irritated whispers from the avian and the wolf, both of whom still seemed to be quite upset by the others actions a short while ago. But these angry whispers came to an abrupt end as Slippy announced with slight anticipation in his voice, "Alright guys, I'm letting the transmission pass right now." Almost immediately after the toad spoke these words, a well-sized holographic screen flickered to life in the middle of the table. It was a few moments before the image became completely clear, but once it did, it was immediately met by Falco's artificially welcoming voice.

"Well, General Pepper. What are you doin' talking to us so early after that last mission. Something up?" The aged canine gave a subtle nod towards Falco, temporarily avoiding his question as he made his customary opening words. "Well, it's good to see you all again. Actually, I'm impressed that after your mission yesterday that you'd be up at all at this hour." This statement was met with an unusual amount of silence, but this was broken shortly after by Ayame, who did not want to relive what had just happened a few minutes ago, "Ya, that's really something isn't it General? But let's get to the point, why are you calling us?" Pepper, who was used to being prodded forward in his speech by this team in particular, complied with the young wolf's wishes and replied in an even voice, "Yes, well, I've called you this morning to inform you of a meeting that I have just set up for this afternoon, and it is mandatory that you all attend." There was a brief hesitation as the General said these words, but this quiet state did not last long as Falco asked, "You want us to come to one of your meetings? You got another mission for us already or what?" General Pepper shook his head, his expression seeming to break from its regular seriousness as he continued on, "Well, telling you over this transmission may allow someone to overhear. I would like you all to make your was over to my office at noon. I'm sorry, but that is all I can tell you right now." Falco shook his head as he indignantly replied, "Oh no, you're not gonna leave us in the dark like this and just expect us to show up at your door. What is this really about Pepper?" The General shook his head, seeing that he would not be able to gain these animal's audience unless he revealed what this sudden meeting was about. So after taking a quiet sigh, he answered simply, "This meeting concerns the very future of Fox McCloud."

(Inside Fox's house)

It was something the feline had never thought she would witness before. After all this time, she had been dead, but she had never been buried, never been allowed to be laid to rest. Instead, she was right in front of her, suspended inside an enclosed glass surface, her body seeming no more decayed than it had almost an entire year ago. It was almost too much for her to understand, and then came Fox's question. How could she help someone who was so desperate to have done something like this? She managed to break her vision away from this sight, placing it instead on the vulpine that stood in front of her. The feline's expression mirrored both the feelings of confusion and sadness as she spoke towards him, "Fox…why would you do something like this? No wonder you can't get over this, you come back here and look at her like this everyday. Why didn't you just let her be and put her to rest Fox?" The vulpine hesitated for a moment, Katt's words seeming to be taking effect within him. This silence lasted for several seconds, but it was broken shortly after as Fox turned towards Katt, his expression showing his true sadness as he replied, "Because…it's because I can still save her."

This statement caught the feline as off-guard as did the vixen's suspended form in front of her. She shook her head, her face now expressing great sympathy towards this vulpines state of denial, and said in a quiet voice, "Fox…you can't bring back the dead, it's just not possible. You just have to let her go Fox. Let her go and move on…" Upon hearing these words, the vulpine's expression completely changed into one of anger. He fully turned his body towards the feline as he yelled in a weak voice, "No! She's not dead, they told me so! She's just like me after I died on Corneria! There is a way to bring her back!" Fox paused here, taking time to regain his breath before continuing on, his eyes now filling with tears as he did so, "…I know it. I can't…give up on her."

After hearing the vulpine's words, the feline quickly remembered back to the time he was referring to. Fox had been severely wounded during a fight with General Scales on Katina, after which he was sent back to Corneria for treatment, but despite the quick efforts of Bill Gray and the rest of the crew members on the Ladekahn IV, he died a few days later. This fact was confirmed by several of the best doctors on Corneria, but then after his funeral, he somehow managed to come back to life, an event that he followed by going on alone with Krystal to defeat Scales. Both herself and Falco had come to the conclusion that Krystal may have been able to revive him, but she had never really believed it to be the truth. But maybe it was, maybe they really did have some sort of weird powers that allowed them to do stuff like that. With this event fresh in her mind, the pink-furred feline asked in a quiet voice, "So…you think you can still revive her, huh?"

Fox just looked down towards the floor and nodded, finding himself too exhausted from his outburst to respond verbally. After this, there was a brief silence between the two animals, Fox heavy breathing being the only noise within the entire hallway. This silence remained for many seconds, but it was soon broken by the sound a gentle footsteps dropping against the floor of the metallic hallway. Only a few of these noises were heard before they ended, but it was then that the still slightly hunched over vulpine felt something subtly contact his back. He did not look back to see what had cause it however, that being made apparent as the one that now stood directly behind his spoke simply in the same quiet voice she had used previously, "Go for it Fox."

It was at these words that Fox's breathing returned to a more in loud state. The vulpine turned his head slightly so that he could see the feline out of the corner of his eye. There was a slight hesitation to act after he had done so, but this was quickly put past him as he spoke in a wavering voice, "What are you…are you saying that I should…" The feline quickly noticed the difficulty the vulpine had in speaking, and silently stopped him from doing so as she soothingly rubbed her hand against the back of his uniform, hoping that in doing so, she could calm the vulpine down. She could tell that it was helping to some extent as his previously noiseless sobs began to fade. It was shortly after this happened that the vulpine found the strength to stand upright, which in doing so caused the feline's hand to fall from his back. In this new position, he completely turned his attention to the feline and finished his previous statement with a much more solid voice, "Are you saying that…you think I can save her?" The feline nodded with a smirk, adding in a voice more characteristic of the feline, "Hey, when have I ever doubted you McCloud? I don't really understand this, but I'm sure that if you get out there and do whatever you need to do to get her back, you'll get the job done. Ya just gotta have a little faith McCloud, alright?"

It wasn't often that the feline would say something this profound, at least, in her own manner of speaking, but it was just what Fox had wanted to hear. He gave a slight nod, looking away from the feline slightly before speaking in a contemplative voice, "I've wasted so much time here, thinking about all the things I could have done to prevent her from dying." Fox stopped here, a nervous smirk breaking a across his face before he continued on, "But it wasn't until you showed up that I started to think of what I had to do to save her. I can't help what's already happened, but I can still do something about it, I can still get things back to the way they were." Katt's smirk broke into a smile as she saw that she really had gotten through to him, adding soon after in a cheerful voice, "Ya, that's right Foxboy. And I'm going with you. I don't know what I'm gettin' into, but there's no way I'm letting you go off on your own. And don't worry, I'll try not to be too big of a hassle." There was a short pause on the vulpine's part after hearing the feline's words, but he quickly ended this silence as he spoke, "…Thanks Katt, you've…done a lot. But I don't really know much about what I'm getting myself into either. Are you sure you want to do this?" She took almost no time in replying to the vulpine's question, doing so in a firm voice, "Hey, it may have been a year ago, but when I joined the Star Fox team, I promised to stay with you until this mission was over, and until I see that girl over there walking around, I'm stickin' with you."

Fox nodded, a quiet chuckle accompanying it as a result of the feline's words. He looked first at the encouraging face of Katt Monroe, soon removing it from there and replacing it on the floating body of his deceased love. Here his vision remained as he spoke in a voice that proved he was ready to take action, "Then we're not gonna wait around here any more. Let's go to the General's office and tell him what we're going to do. Then I'll finally be closer to saving you…" Fox's voice trailed of slightly as the sight that sat before him completely inspired him. He was going to save her, no matter how long it took or how hard the path was. As long as she had been alive, and even on the brink of death, she had never let Fox down, and now, it was his turn to follow in her example. He would save her, and at that moment, he realized he was finally taking those first steps.

(Spirit Realm)

For a while, her question did nothing more than slowly echo across the empty blue plains of that sacred place, making it seem as though she were the only one present within the entire space. It was a feeling that had first dreaded upon her arrival, but at least for now, she was accompanied by the translucent images of these three vulpines. It was comforting to see the faces of her parents, as well as Fox's mother, but it was nothing compared to the comfort that could be found with him. Those feelings of life without Fox slowly began to leek back into her mind as the echo of her question quietly faded into the distance, but was sparred from completely being absorbed in this mindset as the only male figure that stood before her stepped forward, speaking in a even voice.

_You've asked a very good question, one that the spirits of this realm have been jointly debated ever since your arrival. But after taking the time to study the Scrolls of Destiny, we have come to the conclusion that you must assist Fox on his own journey. The manner in which you go about doing this is still unclear, but we have come to the conclusion that it may have something to do with the Spirit Links that are spread throughout this realm._

The vixen looked at her father inquisitively as he spoke, not fully understanding what he was trying to say. Because of this, she asked in a quiet voice, "I understand that I must aid Fox on his journey, but how can I do so from here? And what exactly are these Spirit Links?"

_Well, before I explain what you must do to prevent the destruction of out worlds, I must first explain the Spirit Links. There are several sacred places within the Spirit Realm where residents may freely converse with the one's who are able to use the Energy of Life in the realm of the living. Or more simply, you can speak to Fox. But, as good as this may seem, there are two conditions that accompany use of the Spirit Links. The first being the fact that Fox must be positioned in one of the few Energy Temples that still remain in the other realm. These temples are the only remaining evidence of our race. In the distant past, many elders of our planet were able to use a type of telepathy to communicate with nearby planets, which in doing so created several friendships with the Cerinian tribe, even thought we would probably never have the technology to travel to them. These Energy Temples were placed on each of our befriended planets as a sign of peace, and not only this, but our elders were able to infuse the temples with the Energy of Life from our planet. Because of this, each Energy Temple has a direct link to one of the Spirit Links in our realm. So you may only converse with Fox when both you and he are positioned within the appropriate location at the same time, but this first condition will be the least of your worries._

The spirit of her father paused here, allowing the vixen a slight amount of time to drift into thought. But at that moment, she was not in the least concerned about anything, spare that one single bit of news she had just received. If she could get to one of these Spirit Links, and Fox got to the right Energy Temple, they would actually be able to talk. She would finally be able to hear his voice, a voice she knew would calm her feelings during this time more than anything else possibly could. Her anticipation quickly grew as these wonderful thoughts enveloped within her, but they were temporarily cut off as her father continued speaking.

_The second of these two stipulations will bring cause you much pain, pain that you have never known before. Long ago, the deceased members of our tribe used to Spirit Links, each wanted to talk to loved ones who still resided on Cerinia, but many of them found themselves unable to do just that. Because you see, upon entering into the area of the Spirit Link, you will be confronted with a memory of your past, and knowing the struggles and tribulations of the Cerinian tribe, it can only be assumed that these visions are not pleasant. Not only that, but these visions are accompanied by the embodiment of the individual's doubts, causing happy memories to become tainted, or making terrible memories even more unbearable. And so, we of the Spirit Realm have avoided them for quite some time, but we were luckily able to develop a form of communication without use of the Spirit Links. That is, we may converse with the individual in their dreams. But unfortunately, you may not use this technique because you are not truly a resident of this realm. Instead, you must journey to the Spirit Links and face your past. In doing so, you will not only be able to converse with Fox, but you will also grow stronger in yourself, an attribute I am sure will be needed when the time comes to face the spirit of Andross himself. …Do you understand what you have been sent here to do, my beloved daughter?_

The vixen seemed to be stunned with the amount of information that she had just been exposed to. She had never imagined that there were so many things she did not understand about her own culture, even if it all did have to do with the afterlife. She paused for a moment after hearing her father's question, trying to calm her thoughts from taking control of her. After being somewhat successful in doing so, she looked directly into her father's face and responded in a slightly confused sounding voice, "Yes, I now know why I was sent here…but about Fox? What has become of him over this past year?"

It was at this question that each of the spirits that stood before her conjointly smiled. At first, the vixen did not understand why this was so, but was soon answered as Fox's mother stepped forward, speaking in a calming voice as she did so.

_Just as you speak now, Fox is making his way to his first Energy Temple, although he is not entirely sure that this is his mission. But that isn't stopping him. All he knows is that he wants to be back with you, and he's willing to go off whatever small leads he has to do just that. But perhaps me speaking these things does not satisfy you…_

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: And I guess that's all I got for ya this time dudes! Look's like Fox is gonna finally stop whinin' and start doing something! Booyah! I was really lazy on this chapter, I mean, as far as typing goes. I think I almost took a full 4 days off after posting my last chapter before typing this one, but I managed to get it done pretty fast after that. I don't know about you guys, but I really just…liked this chapter. I don't know why, but there aren't many chapters that I really like. There are a few that stick out to me, like the Xavix-Yuan trilogy and of course, the ending, but whatever. I don't see why you'd care about my feelings, seeing as how I am constantly prodded to update. Oh well, I guess that's just part of the dealio.

What's Your Opinion?  
It's back and I've got more questions for you. I try to keep them vague so that you can't see what I'm trying to relate them to, but just don't look into it so much and you won't know! Gosh!

1.What type of battle do you prefer?  
A.Air battles are so flippin' intense, they're awesome!  
B. I like hand-to-hand combat, nothing's better than a sword fight!  
C. Let's see some stupid guns and bombs! We like lot's o' blood!  
D.Other

2. Is there a need for humor (good or bad) in an emotional/adventure story?  
A. Heh, I've seen your attempts FoxMC, they're so lame. Get that crap outta my face.  
B. Well, if you've ever put any in, I haven't noticed it, but I guess if it doesn't suck it's ok.  
C. I like corny jokes! Try your best and I'll try to respect it.  
D. This question is a joke.

3. How often to do feel some sort of action scene should be portrayed in the story?  
A. A lot more than there is now stupid. We've heard enough about crap that happened "almost a year ago." Let's see some death already!  
B. I guess every few chapters is alright, I can appreciate the emotion that goes into the story without the need for a lot of action.  
C. I'm a pacifist, fighting and death is bad. Love makes the world go 'round bros!  
D. Didn't you already ask this question before?  
E. Other.

MAIL CALL!  
sandman91  
Hey people! This is sansman91, Fox MC's new creative director. Hope you're enjoying the stury as much as I am. Anyway, it's good Katt broke through to Fox. Maybe he can finally get some stuff done(after all, it's been a frickn' year already!). Sounds creepy what happens to the spirits. Hope Fox and Krystal work fast to kick the crap outta Andross. Anyway, g2g.

_FoxMC: Ya, kick the crap outta Andross and finally get the heck rid of him! That guy just never dies! I'd love nothing more that to see the actual end of that monkey head dude._

Specter 117  
You know what I think? I think you should be a proffesional author. You have the right stuff. Keep creating fan fiction like this! You have created a large impact here on That's my opinion.  
They should make more video game movies. You know, like FF7: Advent Children. I hope they make a Starfox movie someday. Lord, please make it not suck!  
P.S. You do R&R other stories, right? If you do, can you R&R my Super Smash Brothers fic (You don't have to if you don't want to)? I would greatly appreciate that.

_FoxMC: Meh, a Star Fox movie wouldn't be a great idea. I don't think they'd get it right. But ya, there are some games that should definitely be movies, one of which wasn't Super Mario…_

BlueWolf419  
Woot! Chapter up!  
Anyways, Katt is in for a surprise huh? Heh, can't wait to see that reaction! Regardless, even with the slight changes in it, I like how the spirit realm part came out:3  
I love this story and it's an honor to be working on it! Let's keep up the great work and get the next chapter up quickly!

_FoxMC: Whee! I had to actually type the Krystal section this time! Stop playing video games, they rot your mind! No worries though, I had fun typin' the Krystal section._

Ir0n Falco  
LOLZ. Anyway great story. And Falco isn't dumb.

_FoxMC: Well, maybe not to you, but to me…well, he's not my fav._

Fenrir Hellfyre  
O.O Freakin' sweet, dude. So are Fox and Krystal not going to able to see each other for the majority of the story?

_FoxMC: That is correct, and that single factor may be the hardest thing for me to do as I write this story. Having them both living in separate realms and having two different quests…it's crazy!_

Ricky  
Cool man! Your posting those stories quick! The faster the better. Don't know how long I could survive without a Foxmc chapter. Keep it up.

_FoxMC: Well, I could go faster, but then the chapters would suck and no one would want to read. But don't worry, I'm guessing that if I can get 2-3 chapters done a month, I'll be finished by…the end of August 2006? That is of course a very rough estimate, but that would be perfect, cause I really don't want to be caught typing a Star Fox story in a dorm room…_

foxdude33  
This is looking good! You may not remember the screen-name, but I was the Unknown guy. This is sort of slow... let's see some action! Until next time then...

_FoxMC: Ya! Action would be great, I agree! But alas, the way I tell stories is not centered around action. It's on the thoughts and emotions of the characters, and as far as I can tell, the 340 reviews and over 6000 views I got for Echoes of The Future says that how I do things now are pretty decent._

FoxJD  
Yo whats up reviewers, this is FoxMC's new editer. So far the story is focused on Katt and Fox, I think it totally rocks. Whats goin on in da spirit realm to me is kinda creapy but cool.

_FoxMC: Ya, my editor is really Joey Wheeler from Yugioh, that's why he talks like that. He also spells like my last editor…_

Fox The Cave II  
Well, first of all congratulations of finishing your other fanfiction.  
Now, the only true problem I had was how some paragraphs are simply a bit too long and don't look attractive to read. I also think that you are thinking about this as a short of movie screenplay, and you need to stop. As much description as there is, and there is a lot, there are still parts where you just change scene by putting "Spirit Realm" in brackets. This transition can be done a lot more effictively other ways. Otherwise, it's pretty damn well done.  
Kudos.  
PS: Could you please read and review The Greatest Fear?

_FoxMC: Darn right I don't split up those paragraphs! And I won't not either! I don't know, the spacing out thing…I tried it for my Teen Titans fic, and it just didn't seem to flow as well. So that's why I don't space, and since I've only got three complaints about that out of all the people that have reviewed, I don't think it's that big of a deal. And ya, the parentheses dividers aren't that cool, but I don't really know how else to do it, but if you can suggest something, I'd love to know dude._

Recon Unit 01  
I don't know if you've seen anything I've posted or even heard of me for that matter, but I've read the first one andit rocked hard! This one looks very promising as well. I dunno what you're doing to make these so good, but whatever it is keep doing it.

_FoxMC: Let's see, what do I do different from other authors here. Now, I don't want to sound like I'm way above other people, but from what I've gathered, I'm just more consistent with character dialogue and descriptions. Maybe I don't have the action of other fics, but I guess that's not all that makes the story good…_

Whinnie  
Awesome:D This is awesome! Can't wait for the next chappie. :)

_FoxMC: I…really don't know how to respond to a review like this. Umm…thanks very much?_

Sean mccloud  
looking great so far i hope fox can break out of his deppresed state cantwait till next chapter!

_FoxMC: Ya, he looks like he's gonna get going on his mission, but I don't know if he'll get out of his depression for a long time. Or maybe he just won't, I don't know…And don't look at me like I should either!_

Ichibod Ricct (x2)  
1.)It's good, but don't bunch everyone's dialouge in one paragraph. Hard to read, espcially for me. You know, my eyes?  
Alright, now that's the first and last burning face joke, okay?  
2.) Good greif, Coldfire. She only touched his shoulder.  
Anyway, I loved the part with Katt and Fox in it. And, I'm glad you have that small summery in the end, because I don't know what was going on with Krystal. I just skipped her parts of the chapter.

_FoxMC: 1.) The bunch dialogue is what I use. I'll always use it. It flows better for me. If I ever have to explain that again…I'm just gonna split up my paragraphs. 2.) I don't really have anything to say, except the fact that I'm assuming the review you left on the last chapter of Echoes of the Future was sarcastic? Cause it actually was pretty funny, seeing all these really positive reviews and then this one that just cussed me out. Heh, I won't forget that for a while…_

Blondie on the Run  
Great chapt-...oh, wait...you already know that! I like how you describe things with sensory details. Everything looks great and it's starting to attract readers. Though I really wish Starfox had more enemies than Scales, Starwolf/Pigma, and Andross/Oikonny...(sigh)

_FoxMC: Hmm, maybe I could put Star Wolf in this one. But that's beside the point…YOU DIDN'T RUN AWAY! Pokeball, go! Yes! I caught a blonde reviewer Santa!_

Ricky  
man you are MEAN! Seperate My Fox and Krystal! Well i wll show u. This is probaly the worst chap ever by you. try better. heheheheheheh!1

_FoxMC: Yep, I'm really mean. What'd be meaner would be me just never updating again! Ya, I know I just made you pee your pants by saying that._

death  
if you like what you do keep going this is a good story i read your other one and it was good keep going man

_FoxMC: Ok, I'll keep typing. I don't want to die when I'm 17 anyway…_


	4. The Journey Begins

Chapter 4: The Journey Begins

"Well, it looks as though our friend Fox McCloud has finally decided to take action. It's quite a shame, seeing him wallow in own misery and self-doubt was quite an enjoyable sight, but I suppose it was only a matter of time before those feelings would pass on. But because of this, we must be ready to take action. I've received word that Fox's first destination will be the planet Xantia. I want you to follow him there, watch his every move. And if the chance presents itself, do not hesitate to kill Fox McCloud."

"Alright, that sounds easy enough. I'll be back here with McCloud's dead body before the next sunset."

"Well, I'll believe that when I see it for myself. Now, you must not waste anymore time here. Fox McCloud will be arriving on the planet Xantia before nightfall, and I would hate it if all your time spent on that planet was an effort to find Fox at all."

"Don't worry about that, I'll beat Fox to Xantia easy. Just one thing, how much money are we talking about here? This isn't exactly a low-profile assassination were looking at ya know."

"Payment? I'm sorry, but you must have forgotten our deal my friend. I saved your life, and so you will serve me for the rest of yours. Otherwise, I may be forced to take that same life, and you can be sure it will not be a quick death either. Is that clear?"

"…Ya, I got it."

"Good, then don't waste anymore time here. You may have proven yourself as a skilled mercenary in the past, but you've yet to test your skills as an assassin. If I were you, I'd take every possible advantage I could receive. But I tire of talking about such things. Leave here, and return with good news."

"That won't be a problem; I've wanted a chance like this for a long time. I'll make sure Fox gets what he deserves, he'll wish he'd never decided to cross paths with me."

(Cornerian Army Base)

In a building that towered above many of the already greatly imposing structures of Corneria, an old dog stood and stared out of his wide office window, taking this time to do nothing more than gaze out over his beloved country. The sun had just passed its peak in the sky, and as it gradually fell back towards the opposite horizon, its rays created many sparkling reflections off the hundreds of buildings that sat below him, creating a display of lights that he had become so fond of during his years as General. There was nothing more that he wanted to accomplish in his life other than merely the protection of this great planet. If anything were to happen here, even the slightest anomaly within this seeming perfect community, he would not be able to stand it. And as he stood there, continuing to gaze over his beloved city, he took a deep sigh, knowing that without the help of a certain band of animals, this wonderful city would likely be nothing more than a pile of rubble. It had come under attack so many different times, and it was those few animals that stood up and defended their homeland. It didn't matter how dangerous the mission, they would always be there to help, and that was a bold kindness that this aging canine would not soon forget.

_There have been so many General's before me, many of whom I consider to be of much higher skill and status than myself. The only reason I've been able to hold this position for so long is not because of my accomplishments, but rather, it is the accomplishments of the former Star Fox team. If it had not been for them, I doubt there could have been anyone else who could have stood up to Andross all those years ago. And if they hadn't, this planet would probably be a barren landmass like Venom by now. But they didn't allow that to happen. They've saved thousands of lives all across the galaxy, and perhaps every single one of those saved animals are grateful for what Fox and his team did for them, but I doubt any of them can compare to the gratitude I have for that same team. Money, publicity, status, such things are highly regarded by every animal in the universe, but to me, these things are just not enough in return. We all owe them our lives, and there is little we can do to return any of their favors. I was devastated when I had to make the decision to break up their team, but now, it seems like they are finally coming back together. Maybe I don't know the reason for their reunification, and perhaps Fox's reason for building a new ship was somewhat fanatical, but I am the last animal worthy of questioning his desires. I'm just glad that the team is finally coming back together, and I'm sure the rest of the planet will be as well. Star Fox…I'll be glad to have you back…_

The General took a few moments away from his thoughts, doing nothing more than letting the silence that filled the room calm whatever feelings of excited anxiety he was feeling at that moment. It was a feeling the General had experienced very few times in his life, but after hearing as good of news as this, this animated feeling was almost completely unavoidable. It was only a few moments ago that he had been contacted by Fox McCloud, an animal he had not heard from in almost an entire year. It was a moment of great relief as he heard that familiar voice over his intercom, having not known what had become of the Star Fox captain after his departure from the mind control mission. It seemed that he was willing to once again travel into space, but there was only one problem that arose from the vulpine's recent desires…

The silence that had previously been held within Pepper's office was quickly broken as a slight beeping noise sounded off from just behind where he was standing. The General slowly turned, having been somewhat startled by the sudden noise, but quickly disregarded these thoughts and he gradually approached his desk and depressed a small button that sat below the flashing indicator light. He hesitated for a moment as he opened the channel, making sure his voice was sturdy as he spoke, "Yes? What is it?" In no more than a second after he had finished speaking, a voice cheerfully echoed out from the small speaker in his desk, "General, Falco Lombardi and his team have arrived. They're on their way to your office now, it seemed like they were in a hurry to get there." The General nodded and quickly replied, "Thank you, I'm glad that they actually decided to accept our meeting at all. Oh, and by the way, have you seen Fox McCloud by any chance?" There was a brief hesitation on the other end of the line before the same cheerful sounding voice rang over the intercom, "Nope, sorry, but I haven't seen him come in. But I'll make sure and contact you if he does General." Pepper quickly responded before ending the transmission, "Alright, thank you. I look forward to hearing from you again."

With these words, Pepper removed his finger from the intercom and turned back towards the window that sat behind him with a sigh. But it was almost immediately after he did so when he heard several voices approaching his office from a short distance down the hall that sat outside his room. It was not long after that these voices stopped, only to be replaced with the sound of a few quick knocks against the outer surface of his door. With almost no hesitation, the canine walked the short distance towards his chair and quickly sat down, which he followed immediately after by promptly speaking out, "Come in."

It took no time after he said these words before the door to his office slowly opened, and action that was followed shortly after by the appearance of Falco, along with the rest of his team as they entered into the General's office. As soon as they did so, Falco spoke in a voice that sounded almost of concealed worry, "Alright Pepper, we came here, just like you wanted. Since you were a little sketchy on the details, I wouldn't mind if you filled us in here." The General let off an undetectable smile, finding the avian's to-the-point attitude to be somewhat humorous, but he quickly disregarded these feelings as he motioned for the four animals to take a seat in front of him. As soon as they had successfully done so, Pepper gave an affirming nod and replied to the falcon's statement in an even voice, "Yes, I suppose I do owe you an explanation on why this meeting was called on such short notice, but I'm grateful you decided to come. I've called you here today to discuss something that has recently been brought to my attention, and as you have probably guessed, it has a direct correlation to your friend Fox McCloud."

Slippy, who rarely spoke during meetings with General Pepper, seemed to have something spark within him as he heard these words, speaking in a voice that was not able to hide the anticipation he was feeling at that moment, "Did you find out what happened to Fox?" Pepper nodded at the toad's comment, continuing on shortly after, "Yes, I have. Just this morning, Fox McCloud contacted the Cornerian Army Base, he and I were able to briefly converse. It seems as though he's been stuck in a depression for this past year…" As Pepper hesitated at this point, Falco observed bluntly, "A depression, huh? Figures, it probably had a lot to do with the fact that his vixen lover died, right?" General Pepper nodded slightly, seeming to be vaguely offended by the nonchalant way the avian spoke of such things, but quickly disregarded these thoughts as he continued on, "Exactly, he's been mourning her death for almost a year now. It must have been a very trying time for him, but luckily, it seems as though he has finally come full circle from that event. In talking with him this morning, it seems as though he's ready to resume flying under the Star Fox name."

Upon hearing these words, Falco let off a slightly amused expression as he replied, "Is that right, well good for him. It's about time he got off his butt and got back to business." The General hesitated after hearing this, not exactly knowing how to respond to such a statement, but he managed to do so not long after Falco had spoken, "Yes, well, this is indeed very good news. Having Fox McCloud back in the service will undoubtedly bring a much greater sense of calm to this planet. This is moment that the animals of this planet have been awaiting for quite some time. I'm sure you all feel the same way." There was a slight pause after the General said these words, but this moment of quiet ended as the wolf spoke, "Alright, so we're all happy that Fox is back, but is this supposed to affect us somehow? I mean, we probably coulda figured this all out for ourselves eventually, right? Why'd you have to make an appointment out of it and call us up here just to say that?" The avian that sat next to her nodded in agreement, adding shortly after, "That's a good point. Why did you call us up here Pepper? Something else you want to share with us before we leave?" Pepper wasted very little time in answering, sensing that these animals patience was quickly running thin, and after taking a quick sigh, he answered in a hesitant sounding voice, "Yes, well, you are correct in saying that my informing you about Fox's reinstatement was not the only thing I had hoped to discuss. You see, Fox's desire to return to service comes with one small set back. Since he initially left the Star Fox team, you've all managed to move on and form your own teams or find other jobs, but now that Fox has returned, I have to…"

Pepper was abruptly cut off at this point in his speech as a small light began to silently blink on his desk. He held his hand in front of him as a signal for the four animals to excuse him as he used his other free hand to answer this new incoming call. Immediately after doing so, he spoke quietly into the speaker on his desk, "Yes, what is it?"

"General Pepper sir, he's here. He just walked past my desk and is making his way to the hanger right now."

After the receptionist's voice faded from the speaker, there was a brief silence that passed over the General's office. The four animals that sat in front of him suddenly seemed quite curious as they heard these words emanate from Pepper's desk, while the General himself took this silence to heart as he considered what he would have to say to those very same animals as a result of this announcement. But after only a few brief seconds, General Pepper replied calmly back into the speaker, "Alright, thank you. I will may my way to the hanger shortly."

Before General Pepper could even look up from the intercom he had just been speaking into, the voice of the seated avian was heard throughout the small office, "So, what was that about Pepper? And what's happenin' in the hanger that's so important, new ship come into service or something?" The General nodded, voicing a reply that did little more than delay him from articulating his true motive, "Well, in a way, yes. But it's not for my army, rather a small mercenary group that ordered it, shortly after Fox left your team I'd say." After saying these words, the General slowly stood up from his chair, and after a brief silence, he motioned for the four animals in front of him to rise as well, explaining shortly after doing so, "We must make our way down to the hanger; there is something I want you to see. But we cannot waste much time, I have a feeling he will not be willing to linger here for too long." Several confused glances were exchanged between the four animals, but they were soon dissuaded from any further hesitation as their leader stood up with nothing more and an indifferent shrug of his shoulders, an action that he followed by gradually making his way towards the door that led into the hallway outside the General's office. After seeing the remaining three animals exit after their leader, General Pepper paused for a moment, letting out a deep sigh before speaking to himself in a quiet voice, "I suppose there's nothing more I can do now, it's up to them whether they will lend their aid or not. If they don't, this may prove to be too great a task, even for Fox McCloud…"

(Cornerian Army Base hangar)

"Well, it was a large project for us at the Army Base, but I think you'll be happy with how it turned out. Personally, I think it might be one of the finest ships to have ever been manufactured on this planet."

This well-dressed official spoke with a type of concealed excitement as he walked through several wide hallways around the outside of this large hangar, his step being accompanied with a bit of urgency as he proudly led both Fox McCloud and Katt Monroe towards the center of this impressive hangar. Upon hearing the official's words, Fox gave a slight nod, but made no other gesture in response. And the only reason he did so was the fact that his own anticipation of coming events was steadily growing within him. It had almost been a full year since he last stepped off the Great Fox, but the time had finally come for him to keep his promise. He was finally on his way back into space. Maybe he didn't really understand what he was supposed to do after he departed from this planet, but he knew it would all fall into place. This was his future, he knew he was destined to save Krystal and bring peace back to the universe. He knew everything would fall into place, but in order for that to happen, he first had to take action. And as he quickly passed through the hallways of this imposing hangar, he knew that he was slowly coming closer to being reunited, reunited with the only one in the universe that he would truly give his life for, just as she had done for him during her last moments.

Fox McCloud's silent thoughts were suddenly cut off as both animals that walked along with him came to a stop, the official that stood in front of him speaking in a proud voice as he did so, "Well Fox McCloud, here it is. It took almost a year to finish, but I'd say it was worth the wait."

The vulpines vision slowly rose up from the ground, continuing on in this manner until his eyes met with an incredible sight. In the center of this enormous hangar sat a ship that surpassed any type of spaceship he had ever seen in his life. The ship itself was gigantic, its mass taking up almost the entire available space within this hangar. The body of the ship was very geometric in shape, its hull containing several sharp and abrupt edges that gave it a very sleek and aerodynamic look. It was almost too much to believe, but as the vulpine continued to scan over the incredible surface of this ship, he noticed a very familiar insignia emblazed onto the fin of the ship. It was on that find that he saw the Star Fox symbol, colored in a shade of red that was so familiar to him. This was his ship, the Great Fox, but it was as if he was seeing for the first time.

Before the vulpine had a chance to speak, the feline that stood directly beside him did so instead, "Wow Fox is this really the Great Fox? Looks like a totally different ship to me. I mean, this is what I'd call a real ship. The Great Fox I know didn't come anywhere close to this piece of work." Fox didn't answer; he just continued to stare at the hull of this magnificent ship with seemingly no concern for those that wished to interrupt him from doing so. Because of this, the official that had accompanied them to this point answered, "Oh yes, this is technically still the former Great Fox, but we were forced to alter most of the exterior in order to equip it with more up-to-date shields and armaments. The inner frame of the original ship's body and wings were kept, and then we reinforced them so that they could adapt to this new hull. Because of its new design, it is now categorized as a dreadnaught-class battleship, which in other words means that it's one of the strongest ships ever manufactured on Corneria." Katt nodded after hearing this brief explanation and quickly turned back to Fox, who still had not taken his eyes off the ship that now sat in front of him. After doing so, she attempted once again to communicate with the distracted vulpine, "Hear that McCloud? One of the most powerful ships ever created, and it's yours. That's a pretty big…"

The feline was suddenly cut off as the vulpines attention abruptly broke from that of the ship in front of him, it gradually shifting until his eyes settled over Katt's shoulder, an action that was followed shortly after by a question directed towards the official that had brought them to this place, "This ship…you installed the outlet like I wanted, right?" It took a few seconds for this official to understand exactly what the vulpine meant by these words, but after he managed to do so a short time after, the animals mood seemed to completely change, made apparent by the melancholy tone he used as he answered, "Yes, of course. We made sure to install the outlet, it's located in the room that sits adjacent to your sleeping quarters aboard the Great Fox, just as you requested." Fox emotionlessly nodded as he heard these words, speaking quickly after hearing the official's response, "Good, then I want that machine moved there as soon as possible. It's using a generator right now, but I'd feel a lot better if we could get it hooked up to a more stable power supply." The official wasted no time in supplying Fox an affirmative reply, which he followed shortly after by turning from the two animals and making his way out of the hanger.

The feline that stood at his side gave him a slightly confused look, which she followed up by asking, "What's this machine you're talkin' about McCloud? Something I should know about?" Much to the feline's surprise, Fox shot her a rather irritated looking glance, a look that was accompanied by a much less intimidating tone of voice, "No, don't worry about it. It's just…something that I need along with me while I'm out in space, that's all." As soon as he finished with these words, his expression quickly lightened after taking a deep breath. He spoke shortly after doing so in a tone that was more typical of the Great Fox captain, "As soon as they load that, we'll be ready to go. We should probably get on the ship and get ready to leave as soon as possible. I don't want to wait around here any longer than I have to, alright?"

"No way, McCloud? What the heck are you doing here?"

Both Fox and Katt turned as they heard this new voice echo throughout the large hanger, only to be met by the face of a familiar falcon, who was followed shortly after by an excited looking toad, General Pepper, and two other animals that neither of the surprised animals had seen before. The distance quickly closed between the two groups, an action that was accompanied by the avian's continued speech, "I figured you'd never show your face in this town again, especially after you're little year long vacation McCloud. Seems like you're ready to get back into the action though, huh?" The avian's focus wandered off slightly from the face of his old friend and was momentarily diverted to the feline that stood next to him. He smirked after doing this and returned his attention back to his old captain, speaking in a slightly taut voice, "And you brought along a friend too, figured she'd be too busy with her little modeling fantasy to care about anything else…"

Katt rolled her eyes at this comment and let out an abrupt sigh, speaking to the vulpine that stood next to her in a voice that was supposed to be a whisper, but was intentionally louder so that everyone could hear, "Looks like the wait's gonna be a little longer than you wanted. Leave it to him to do something like that…" Fox shook his head, not wanting an argument to erupt between these two animals, and spoke shortly after towards the avian, "Ya, it's been a while, but there's something I have to do, and I couldn't put it off any more." There was a brief silence between all these animals after Fox had spoken, but it was quickly broken as the vulpine continued on, asking in an even voice, "So, what have you been doing all this time Falco?" The avian shrugged his shoulders, answering in a flippant voice, "Oh, ya know, same thing as always. Me and my new team fly around and dish out justice to guys that could be dangerous to Corneria, nothing much. …Oh, and since I'm sure you're wondering about these guys…" Falco broke his eye contact with the vulpine as he looked back towards his two newest crewmembers, "The tiger over there is Kaya, Kaya Aurion. She's pretty quiet most of the time, but she really comes out of her shell when she gets in a fight. I doubt there are many people on this planet that could take her on. The other one over there is Ayame Mirraz, she's really nice to have around during dogfights. I don't know if you heard, but she's the third person in history to ever ace that one simulator test on her first try." After feeling as if he had done an adequate job in introducing his crew, his focus once again shifted, and this time onto the large canine that stood beside the large group of animals. After doing so, he quickly asked in a voice that now hinted at impatience, "Alright, so now that we all know each other, you mind telling exactly why we're down here Pepper? You were a little sketchy on the details back in your office."

The General, who had done nothing more than observe this reunion as it took place, nodded as he heard this question from the avian. After giving himself a few brief seconds to clear his throat, he began his explanation in a steady tone, "Yes, I agree that I have been somewhat enigmatic on the exact reason why you were called here today, and I feel that the request I am about to make to you and your team can be put off for no longer." The canine's statement lingered in the air as a brief pause was brought between these animals, each seeming to be giving the same confused looking glance in the General's direction. This moment of silence did not last long however, as General Pepper continued shortly after in a voice that was slightly quieter than previously, "Simply put, I would request that both you, Falco, and the rest of your team, join together with Fox as he heads out on this new mission. Because if you do not, I feel that Fox would be in too much trouble for me to allow him to merely…"

It was at this moment that the General's words fully enveloped in both the heads of the separate team leaders, each of their expressions displaying great surprise in this announcement. In response, the avian quickly responded, "What? Are you serious here Pepper? What makes you think I'd do something like that on such short notice? I mean sure, I'd love to help McCloud out, but I got my own life too, ya know?" Fox nodded, adding shortly after in a much more animated voice than he had used previously, "Ya, and besides, this isn't something Falco and his team need to be involved in anyway. I don't want to get them into danger that they don't have to face. And this is my mission, no offence, but I'm sure I can handle it by myself."

Pepper defensively raised his hands in front of him, motioning for the two animals to calm down as he spoke in reply, "Alright, just settle down a moment. I can understand that you each have different concerns about this notion, but so do I. First of all, I am greatly opposed to the idea of Fox going out in space by himself, especially with this ship, which is new and he is greatly unfamiliar with. And as far as you and your team go Falco, I was saying this partly because I believe that your team would provide the best assistance to Fox as he leaves this planet, as well as the fact that as of right now, there are no missions of great importance that we need you to handle. And believe me, I know how much you dislike standing idly by for a mission to come your way."

There was a contemplative pause after Pepper had finished speaking, the two animals seeming to be thinking hard on the canine's reasoning. This silence was soon broken however as Falco asked in a curious voice, "So, if we did head out with Fox, we'd be gettin' some kind of compensation for it, right?" Pepper took a quiet sigh, having hoped that Falco would have been more interested in helping his friend than to worry about getting paid, but seeing as how there was probably no other way to convince the falcon otherwise, the General responded in a somewhat dissatisfied voice, "Yes, if that is what you wish, I suppose I could reimburse you and your team for your services." As soon as Falco heard these words, he turned back to Fox and said in his usual voice, "Well that's all I need to hear. Looks like we're going with you Fox, and since I hear you don't want to hang around here for too long, let's get on that ship and get outta here. Heh, can't wait to see what your new Great Fox can handle, it's a lot easier on the eyes anyway…"

Falco's voice trailed off at the end of his statement as he, as well as every other animal that stood within the hanger, noticed a large object, which was unable to be identified due to a large drape that he been hung over it, hovering slowly across the floor. Everyone, except for Fox, watched in silence until the object, as well as the few personnel that were guiding it along, disappeared behind the hull of the Great Fox.

The vulpine quickly spoke, hoping to break the interest that everyone seemed to have about that object, responding to the comment the avian had made before the object had arrived, "Are you sure you want to do this Falco? I mean, we're probably gonna get into some tough situations, and I don't think I want to put you in danger that you don't need to be in." The falcon's eyes shifted back to the vulpine, his face adorned with a smirk as he replied flippantly, "Are you kidding me McCloud? What are you gonna be doing out in space that you don't think I can handle? I've been in pretty much every situation you can think of, and I've still alive, right? Don't worry about it Fox. Besides, I'd be more worried about you, seeing as how you've been doing nothing for the past year." As soon as he had finished speaking, the feline that stood next to him gave off a quick nod, adding shortly after doing so, "As much as I'd love to disagree, I think he's got a point Fox. I don't know how just the two of us can make an effective team. It'd be better if we took them along, ya know, just in case."

Fox hesitated for a moment as he tried to consider what he would be getting his old friends into by taking them along. But even this was not easy to consider, seeing as how he himself had little idea of what lay ahead on this mission. After a short pause, he looked past the avian towards his teammates, asking quickly after doing so, "What about your team Falco? I don't know if they're alright with this. I mean, it's not like they have any obligation to help me, right?" It was almost immediately after Fox had said these words before the wolf that stood behind Falco spoke up, talking in a frivolous voice, "Well hey, you're right about the fact that I have pretty much no reason to help you with this, but the General said we'd be gettin' paid, so that's enough to persuade me. Besides, if Falco goes and we stay, we wouldn't be able to do anything anyway. Can't go on a mission without a leader, right? And Kaya's alright with this too, I doubt she'd want to stay behind and miss out on all the action, right Kaya?" The tiger's response was little more than a subtle nod, but it was all Fox needed to see.

After taking a quick sigh and rubbing his hand against the back of his neck, he decided to forgo his worried thoughts as he spoke in response, "…Alright, you can all come along. I guess I can't really stop you now, so I might as well accept the help, huh?" Falco nodded with his usual smirk, responding shortly after as he began to make his way towards the Great Fox, "That's right McCloud, it'll be just like old times. But hey, we're not gettin' anywhere standing around here all day; let's get this show on the road already. I can't wait to see what you get yourself into this time McCloud."

The vulpine hesitated after hearing these words, merely watching as Falco and the rest of his team ascended the tall gangway that ended at the entrance to the new Great Fox. It was as they disappeared behind the ship's sleek, gray surface that he lowered his head, his thoughts taking him to a place he did not want to be.

_No, you're wrong Falco, this is nothing like the old team. It's not even close to what it was back then. And as long as she's not here, that will probably never change. I…don't even know if I can do this without her here to support me, but…I have to. I'm doing this for her, and I'm not going to let her down…not again…_

Fox's thoughts eventually trailed off and he felt the gentle contact of a hand against his back. He quickly looked up from the ground as he noticed this, looking over to see Katt's face, which seemed to hold a slightly sympathetic expression as she looked at him. It was as she saw him look up that she asked in a calm voice, "Hey, are you alright McCloud? You don't look like yourself." The vulpine shook his head, donning an indiscernibly fake smile in order to ease the feline's mind as he replied, "No, nothing's wrong. I was just…thinking about this mission, that's all." After saying these words, he turned to face the ship, causing Katt's hand to fall from his back as he did so, and then finished by saying with a voice of confidence, "But Falco was right about one thing. I really don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. It's been a while since I've done something like this, but I don't think I could be more ready than I am right now."

_I will get her back. No matter what happens to me, to my crew, or even to the entire universe…I will get her back._

(Spirit Realm)

The vixen gave a confused glance in the previously speaking vulpine's direction, not fully understanding what she had meant in her last statement. This feeling did not last for long however as Fox's mother somehow began to cause the constant flow of blue that sat below them to break, a second color slowly coming into sight as she did so. It was not long after this that Fox's mother had cleared an entire area of this blue fog, giving the on looking vixen a perfect view into a metallic looking ship. It was here, in a small metallic hallway, that this gap within the fog allowed her to see, but the reason why this was somehow important did not make itself immediately clear.

After several moments of inactivity within the scene below, the vixen looked up towards the three spirits and asked quietly, "This is nothing more than a simple hallway. What is it that you want me to see?"

_This is it, it won't be long before she's back…_

The vixen stared at the spirits with confusion, thinking that one of them had spoken to them, but after receiving a subtle motioning gesture from her father, she quickly looked back down past the blue mist. It was as she did this that her eyes opened wide with surprise, because just below her, walking through that previously devoid hallway was the one she had so desperately been seeking. She could see him clearly, and it was a moment she had long awaited. Before she allowed her own thoughts to interfere, she quickly quieted herself in order to fully hear the vulpine's thoughts…

_Now that we've finally left Corneria, I can focus on getting her back…instead of just sitting around wishing I could do something. I don't really know what I'm supposed to do, but…I know in that dream I had this morning, my mother said I had to go to Xantia. I'm sure if I go there, I'll figure out what I'm supposed to do, that's how it's always been after she told me about that scroll. Things just…fell into place. Things that I never would have thought to be possible…just like when I was brought back from the dead. Now I'm the one who has to follow through, I'm not just gonna sit around and wait. I'm not gonna give up on her, cause she never gave up on me. I will save her, and we will be together…forever, just like the scrolls said. I just hope…I don't let her down…again. Wherever you are, just remember this. I'm not giving up on you. Even if the odds are against me, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do, I'll find a way to get you back…I promise..._

"Fox…" His name came from her mouth with great care, with nothing more than a silent tear to accompany it as that name gently echoed across the empty blue planes of the Spirit Realm. Perhaps the words of the vulpine were not fully directed at her, but just the fact that she knew he was thinking about her gave her a feeling of comfort that she had not known during her stay in this lonely place, a place she now dearly wanted to depart from so she could find herself in his arms once more.

_My daughter, you have seen that he remains loyal to you, even after all this time. Now, you must do the same. Your journey, just like his, is just beginning. He has already taken his first steps, and now you must do the same. It may prove difficult, a journey apart from him, but you must find the strength within yourself to accomplish this task, because if you do not, both worlds will be doomed, and you may never get to see Fox McCloud again. With this in mind I ask you, are you ready my child? You've already been through much hardship, but they were only the beginning. The time has come for you to fulfill your true destiny, and to do so, you must leave here at this moment, for you do not have a moment to spare. He may not know it yet, but Fox is counting on you, and you must not let him down. And so, my beloved daughter, will you accept this destiny of yours?_

The vixen hesitated for a moment, her thoughts still remaining on the words of Fox McCloud, the one she so strongly desired to be reunited with. But it was not long after her father spoke these words that she looked up into his eyes and spoke in a voice that proved to these three spirits that she truly was ready, "Yes, I do accept the task that has been set in front of me, and I will succeed. I know that Fox will not let me down, and neither will I. I will find every Spirit Link and help Fox realize his true power. And you all can be assured, I will not fail."

_You have grown so much my daughter, we are all very proud of you, but I'm afraid that we must leave you now. This journey is yours alone, and we fear that intervention by any other member of this realm may be a contradiction the scrolls, which may result in catastrophe that we cannot afford to risk. So…go, journey throughout the realm of the spirits and assist Fox on his journey. We all believe in you…_

At these words, the three spirits that had previously stood in front of the vixen began to slowly fade away, each still looking upon her with great respect. But it was as this was happening that the young vixen suddenly realized something, something she would have to know if she were ever to aid Fox in the world below. She raised her hands out in front of her, as if telling the three spirits to stop disappearing, and asked quickly in a suddenly anxious voice, "Wait a moment, were is it exactly that I am supposed to find these Spirit Links? Surely I must know this in order to begin my journey across these endless blue plains."

_We…have no directions for you. You must follow your feelings, follow your heart. And only then will you find the Spirit Links. Now farewell, my beloved and courageous daughter, and good luck. We are all counting on you…_

With those words, the three spirits fully disappeared into the blue mist, just as suddenly as they had first appeared. For a moment, the vixen did nothing but look forward to where her parent's spirits had once stood, the image of their encouraging smiles left embedded in her mind. It was the last image of comfort that she saw, and she did not want to let it go. It was understandable, because now the vixen had not only been left alone within this mysterious realm, but she was totally lost. She had been given no direction towards her goal, only advice. She must follow what she feels, rely on instinct to find her destination, and she had to do it now. It was here that she turned from where her parents had stood, instead facing towards the endless, empty blue fog that sat in front of her. She took a quiet sigh, having no idea what awaited her, but it didn't matter. All she wanted was to be back with that single vulpine, and she knew she'd brave whatever dangers that stood ahead for him, no matter what the cost. And so, after taking a deep breath, she stared forward into the blue mist and took her first step forward into the unknown.

_I am not giving up on you either…Fox McCloud._

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Cool, don't get mad at me because I took like a month to update, because I'd get really sad. Besides, the 13th was my birthday, so you should all be crazy happy for me! Anyway, I'm sorry the update took so long, lately I haven't been that inspired to type I guess…but I hope I can get some of it back, cause I don't want to have to discontinue this story. Don't worry, I'm not at that point yet, but if this story becomes a chore, it might happen. Well, aren't I the bearer of good news? Whatever, now that they left the planet, there will be action soon, yeah. Later.

RANDOM NOTES: Umm…Another reason why this chapter was not posted as quickly may have been because it was actually done about 4 days ago, but I just now realized that fact, oops. Heh, anyone seen the Lion King version of Sora from Kingdom Hearts II? …That's pretty much the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Booyah, and my parents think I'm so stupid! I got a 3.5 gpa this quarter! Snap-digity, I'll get getting a big ol' check from grandma for sure!

MAIL CALL:  
Specter 117  
Hey, dude! Love this chapter! Love your stories! (Of course, I'm not gonna say love you) Keep going, man! I'm rootin' for ya!

_FoxMC: Thank you so much, and of course I didn't expect you to say you love me, cause that's gay! …Assuming that you are a man of course, not that I can tell with all this internet deception!_

The Silent Wanderer - ArcticFoxAL  
Well, I'm finally reviewing this story. Damn, it's getting hard to get on a computer. I have Co-op in the mornings so I usually don't get back to school until the bell rings. So... you went for a sequel, did you? Good for you. OH YEAH! I remembered something! Wat ever happened to Justin Allan Haibon, your editor? I always liked his weird writings.

_FoxMC: Ya, I did go for the sequel, I'm not just gonna leave you guys hanging on the last story, that'd be really mean…And as far as my old editor goes, you got me…_

Ichibod Ricct  
No, bunching up the dialogue isn't good grammar. I can't tell who says what.  
It's not suppose to flow for you, it's suppose to flow for the reader.  
I'm not saying go back and correct all the other chapters you did, I'm saying, do it for future chapters.

_FoxMC: Good points, but…uhh, I don't wanna. It's good that your trying to correct me, but it's too late now. This is the format it's gonna be in for the rest of the story, sorry man…_

Fenrir Hellfyre  
All right, the story's startin to pick up. And I answer "B" to all of your questions.

_FoxMC: Ya seriously, I gotta get em' out in space you something can happen! I feel so bad, this is just like reading a school book or something…_

Blondie on the Run  
hm...it's progressing I guess, but I'm not really a Newberry Award judge. I don't want to sound "Whinnie"ish but this starting to be like the second part to a Disney movie. Not as good as the first.

_FoxMC: I can totally agree with you that so far, this is not as good as EotF, but I can assure you, I'm not typing this just so I can say I finished the story. There will be great moments in this story to, and now that they're off the planet, that stuff can start to happen._

Ricky (The real one I assume)  
What the fric? Someone used my name to tell you that you were mean. That's not cool. Whatever, F.Y.I. it wasn't me. I will now be known as krystal mc, that's my name every where else. Anyway, great chap. Hopre I get to read another soon.  
P.S. Are you a member of the KLA?

_FoxMC: Ya, that was weird. I'm beginning to see why people have to option to block anonymous reviews…_

Fox the Cave II  
liked your new chapter, the action is slow moving but I liked the insights to Katt's and other's thoughts.  
Heh, I always put my Authors Note's at the top of the chapter, it seems strange to me that you put them at the bottom!  
Well, bye for now.

_FoxMC: Ya, I have put author's notes at the top before, but then you can't discuss what you typed about when you reach the end of the chapter. That, and I just don't like how it looks when it's up there. Anyway, the action is coming, just had to set some stuff up first!_

sandman91  
All right! I give this chapter 5 outta 5. Congrats. Fox has finally come ot of his deppression(haleluia). Now let's see some progress from him. And for the rest of the fans, keep on reading because I have a feeling this is just gonna get better and better. Peace out from sandman!

_FoxMC: There will definitely be progression, but I don't think I want to keep telling you that something will eventually happen, makes me sound like I'm desperate to keep reviewers…which is not true, alright everyone?_

-faLcO-  
You are the only person that I have heard of that hates Falco. And btw, nice story.

_FoxMC: I don't know about that, but ya, I'm sure I'm part of a minority like that, a lot of people love the crap out of Falco. Not me…_

MisterChief  
Nice. This is what I like to read.  
Still good. Man, I don't know what it is, but you got it.

_FoxMC: Yep, if you like to read a bunch of dialogue and descriptions that include very little action, this is indeed your kind of story. I'm sure something will end up happening eventually…_

FoxJD  
Finally dude, Fox is back in da game! I wonder what Fox will have ta do to get Krystal back, sure will be difficult. I was thinkin bout the Joey Wheeler thing and I kinda like it. Maybe I'll write somethin bout that in my FF profile.

_FoxMC: Ya, Fox is back in da game…finally! Ah guess ya guys might be seein' some action in dis story pretty soon. Which is good, cause Ah'm kinda tired of writin' all dis dialogue…_

Chiise  
I never said it sucked. Its just not to great now

_FoxMC: Ok, it's your opinion. I mean, no one's making you read this I guess. I'll try and make it as good as possible and I guess that's all I can do…_

death  
hi there it me death again  
i been reading this stroy now for a long time and i'v see that fox hasen't got anything to show he can uesd the life power or whatever the hell it is  
for god sake man give him something he can't keep going on fireing blaster all the time it didn't help back when he got his ass kick by greeny guy now did it  
you know like a healing power or something stop giving krystal all the stuff

_FoxMC: Ya, Fox will eventually get some powers, cause that's what this whole story is about!_

DragonOTDarkFlame  
Oh for God's sake would stop all this cruelty to animals!  
Bring us to the battle on both worlds that I KNOW is brewing and get those two foxes back together Damnit! WAAH! HA! HA! HA! (Sob)(Sob)

_FoxMC: You haven't seen cruelty to animals yet…heheheh. The battle will come, but there's gotta be a story too._

BlueWolf419  
I have ben absent for a while, but not long enough to see the new chapter! Anyway, I'm glad that Fox has finally snapped out of it. Maybe now the story will get REAL interesting!

_FoxMC: Ya, REAL interesting. I like the sound of that a lot._

death (Again)  
well this is comeing along grate all this is good  
but that fox is a right twat to think he been siting in that place for a year A YEAR!  
man if i was that guy i would have got this done long ago but hey i not fox am i  
anyway keep going i looking foward to the next  
well the galexy is ready to burn fox is the one with the macth and he has to make such he dose what is right.

_FoxMC: Yep, that little pyro Fox McCloud, he's gonna be killing some serious suckers until he gets his girl back, that's for sure._

The Silent Wanderer – ArcticFoxAL (…again)  
Hello Again!. Although you may not know it, I put in a late review for chapter 1. Please read. My answers for the questions are: D, D, and D. Hehehe. Anyways, I said in the last post "I wonder what happened to your old editor, Justin Allan Haibon..." or something like that... anyways, I like new sequel and new OC's. But.. ah.. hrmm.. a little too much profanity, in my opinion. A little is ok, but in the first 2 chapters, you had Katt stripped down to nothing , and in the third chapter, Falco... well I won't get into that nasty little mess. I may not have any particular reason for asking this, but why is Tiger OC so quiet? And you may or may not hate me for asking since this is like the 5th time I've done so, but where is Peppy? Feel free to answer or not. It just bugs me for some unexplainable reason. Anyways this posty is the longest I've ever done, so I'll wrap it up. THANK YOU FOR MAKING A SEQUEL! I would've had to send you hate mail for life if you didn't. By the way, Thanks for "Longest Angry Letter And Apology" award in first story. Well that's it. Keep up good work.

_FoxMC: Ok, Peppy is pretty much living the good ol' retired life on Xavix-Yuan, and since I don't like him, there is a really good chance you won't see him again. Thanks for the mando reviewo._

SonicBreezie4ever

(Just look at em' all, I don't want to take up a page just posting his response…sorry.)

_FoxMC: Wow, that's a lot of writing. But I guess I can take that as a pretty big complement that you'd type all that out. I'm glad you like my story, cause that's pretty much the reason why I type em'. Not just for reviews and stuff, but it's also my hobby and I really enjoy it. So to hear good things like this really encourages me to type on…too bad I never have enough time to put as much effort into it as I would like…whatever, thanks again dude!_

MasterChief101  
1. Wow, I cant believe that I missed the opening of this new and excellent story. Now im back to read and judge this story.  
2. another good chapter by FoxMC. (I hope he didnt forget about me)  
im going onto chapter 3.  
P.S "Its time to split!" Do u know where that quote came from?  
plz answer the question. I want u to see how good u are at figuring stuff out. HAHAHA!  
3. (Napolean Dynamite voice)  
omg this is going to be a flippin sweet story. I just hope that Falco doesnt get large tallons. Don't stop writing! Gosh!  
(non napolean voice)  
lol. all of that is true.

_FoxMC: 1. Yes, I'm quite offended, but you went back and reviewed, so it's chill. 2. Nope, I didn't forget about you, and I suck at figuring stuff out…a good reason why I am horrible at Math. 3. That was funny. I don't think Falco will get large talons, and even if he does, he'll have his boots on, so there probably won't be much of a problem. Peace out!_

Foxdude33  
FYI Masterchief101, this author's a girl. Nice chapter, and I can't wait for the update. They're worth the wait.

_FoxMC: Heh, that's funny. I told my old editor that I was a girl, and I think he started telling everybody that I was, but I'm not. It was just a joke, and it looks like I got a few other people too. Heh, I am indeed a man, and since I'm 18 now, that's actually true…And thanks for making me feel like making you guys wait so long for new chapters is worth it…you're probably just trying to make me feel better, but it's a nice try anyway._

Coldfire  
Hey, Fox MC, I see you haven't updated in a bit, which is a bit saddening, considering how well you have been doing. Myself as well as others love your story a lot, and hope that you haven't given up on it yet!  
But if you've been golfing and doing other important things all this time, then you're forgiven. ;)

_FoxMC: Ya, I have been really busy, but I hate using that excuse cause it's really lame. But if I can get away with it, then whatever. I'll try and update faster, but that may be hard with school and stuff. At least I'm not playing b-ball this year…_


	5. Skewed Emotions

Chapter 5: Skewed Emotions

_So this is the Great Fox, huh? Heh, well, it's a lot cleaner than that other piece of junk we were flying in a while back. I think I could get used to this thing. Especially seeing as how I'm gettin' paid for this little charade. Not that I have a clue what that charade is, but seriously, what's the worst Fox could get us into? As far as I can tell, I'm gonna get paid for doing pretty much nothing. Heh, never thought Fox coming back and working for Pepper would be such a good thing. Not that he exactly looked like he was up for whatever this mission is, but I guess that's not my problem. I mean, if he wasn't up for this, he wouldn't have shown himself after all this time, so whatever. I'll just sit back and see what…_

"Hey, quit screwin' around over there! Is it that hard to pull this thing around without hittin' every wall we pass?"

These abrupt words echoed unimpeded throughout the otherwise silent halls of the Great Fox, an occurrence that led the formally contemplative avian to glance towards the area the voice had emanated from, finding himself only able to catch a brief glimpse of several shadows before they faded out of sight around a corner of these seemingly endless hallways. He hesitated as these shadows passed on, finding the fact that someone besides himself and the rest of the team was aboard the ship to be somewhat suspicious, but it was not long before he remembered what he had seen just prior to entering through the massive hull of the Great Fox.

_Those must be the guys that were pulling that huge thing into the Great Fox. Whatever it was must've been pretty secret, seeing as how they threw that drape thing over it. But whatever it was, it seemed to make McCloud a little edgy. Maybe I should follow em' and see what's up. I mean, last thing we need is the captain keepin' secrets from his crew, right?_

So with very little thought otherwise, the avian slowly set out after the escaping shadows, making sure to stay a good distance behind so that they would not detect his presence. For a long while, his plan seemed to be working, as the only thing that could be heard around him was the sound of the yells and the occasional profanities of the ones that he was following. And it was not long after the beginning of his pursuit before the large draped object disappeared behind one of the doors that sat inside the perfectly clean, metallic walls of this new Great Fox. Upon seeing exactly where this unusual object was now located, he found cover behind a corner in the hallway, a spot where he could wait until the ones he had been following left the room they had just entered, so that he could see what it was they had been carrying.

After finding that his cover behind the corner in this metal hallway was sufficient until the two animals reappeared from the room that they had just disappeared into, the avian leaned impatiently against the wall, hoping that he would not have to wait for too long a time.

_I wonder what could be under that thing. Fox has never kept any kind of secrets like this from me before, so why's he starting now? As far as I can tell, I'd say whatever that thing they just dragged in there is, it's probably got something to do with the reason Fox suddenly felt like gathering up his old space buddies for another go around the galaxy. And since he won't tell me what it's about, guess I'll just have to find out for myself_.

And so for several minutes, Falco waited behind this bend in the stunningly clean, metallic hallway of the Great Fox, until at last he heard something from the stillness that was previously held in this area. The cause of this was the sound of a door sliding quickly open, followed soon after by two familiar voices.

"…guess we're done in there. Now we've just gotta take care of one more thing before we get outta here. You got the engraving, right?"

"Ya, right here."

"Alright, now I'll just get this on the door and we'll be good to go."

It was after Falco heard these words that the two animal's speech ended, but this silence lasted only seconds before the sound of some kind of tool could be heard ringing loudly down the corridor he was standing within. In fact, it was so loud a noise, that he was forced to cover his ears in a somewhat vain attempt to block out the piercing blare.

_Holy crap, put a silencer on that thing! This is almost as bad as the times when he had to set up those stupid M.C…whatever things on those planets to stop the mind controls. I thought I'd finally got away from those frickin' things…_

Much to the avian's relief, this painful noise faded from the hallways just seconds after it had begun, at which point he uncovered his ears and tried to listen again for the two animals to speak. However, there was nothing to be heard, only the sound of their footsteps as they quickly approached Falco's position. He hesitated for a moment, knowing that it wouldn't be long before those two would see him and probably freak out because they got to see him in person, but he did not make any motion to hide, he merely leaned casually back against the wall he had been standing behind this entire time, hoping that the animals would not make the connection that they had been followed.

This relaxed stance against the wall did not last long however, because just as the animals the avian had been following where just about to round the corner, the wall that he was leaning on was revealed to, in reality, be a door, a fact that was made clear as it quickly slid open behind him, causing the avian to fall backwards through the now empty surface. Just as soon as he fell to the ground, the previously open door he had just fallen through abruptly closed, leaving the surprised avian on his back as the sound of footsteps quietly faded away from his new position.

After overcoming the initial surprise of this incident, the avian propped himself up onto one elbow, using his other free hand to rub the point of impact on his head that had resulted from his sudden fall. As he did so, he spoke under his breath in a somewhat droll tone of voice, "Well, that was a brilliant escape. Guess those guys'll be missing out on meeting me in person, that's too bad. Not that I really wanted that, but whatever." As he spoke the avian scanned the new area he now found himself in, finding however that such an endeavor was impossible due to the fact that this room was almost completely dark, with only a small ray of light that shone through a small window that sat on the side of the room opposite of where he now sat. It was not long after his first scan of the darkened room before he stood up from his unintentionally reclining position and regained a more appropriate upright stance.

It was almost immediately after the avian found himself standing that he heard a quiet noise coming from a corner of the room, causing him to freeze in place as he attempted to distinguish where exactly the sound had emanated from. However, there was no other noises heard during that time, instead, a voice rang out quietly from his left, causing the slightly perturbed avian to turn quickly in that direction as he listed to the voice in silence, "What's the matter little birdie? Are you afraid of the dark?" Falco did not answer, he instead used this time to try and identify this invisible voice, but his thoughts were cut short as he soon heard to sound of approaching footsteps, a noise that accompanied by the same voice that had spoken only seconds before, "Don't be scared, I'm not going to hurt you…unless that's what you want I guess. So just calm down…"

It was at that moment that a tingle was sent down the avian's spine, but this reaction was not wholly a result of this mysterious voice speaking to him in the darkness, but it was also due to the fact that he felt another body press up against the back of his, a feeling that was followed shortly after by two arms that securely wrapped around his body. He naturally began to struggle, still having no idea what was happening amidst the darkness, but this attempt to free himself did not last long as the voice spoke once again, but this time in a very quiet, yet beguiling voice, "I've got you now…little birdie. Maybe this will settle you down…I hope not."

At these words, Falco felt the body that held him from behind move upward slightly, a sensation that was followed closely by the feeling of a slightly cold noise as it contacted the side of his face. Not only this, but as what Falco determined to be a nose had contacted him, the arms that had held him tightly had now loosened, so that the hands were instead placed against his upper body, a muscular surface that these recently placed hands now rubbed slowly and soothingly against. It was at this point as all these pleasant sensations were felt that the avian made the connection. He turned his head slightly, causing the cold surface to drag across his face a short distance before it stopped, a point in time that Falco then choose to speak in a slightly unsure voice, "Ayame, is that you? Upon hearing these words, the voice behind the avian emitted a short giggle, a noise that was followed shortly after by brief speech, "Still not sure? Guess I'll just have to help you remember…"

At these words, the force placed upon Falco's body became so great that he staggered to the ground, causing the body that had previously pressed at his back to now press him against the ground. However, this did not last long as the weight was removed from his body, only to be abruptly rolled over onto his back before the weight was placed upon him once again. Once on his back, he felt his arms being secured to the ground by a familiar pair of hands, an action that was followed by more words, but this time they were not directed at Falco, a fact that was made obvious as the voice spoke, "Activate lights, dim."

Falco's expression raised a bit as these words were spoken, himself not entirely sure what it meant, but this vagueness was soon made clear as the light that sat above the two bodies silently activated, but not to their full extent. Instead, they only allowed enough light to create a distinctly dull white light to fill the room, allowing the trapped avian his first glance of the room he had stumbled into. However at the moment, it was the body that was placed on top of him that he was most concerned with, and he was instantly given an answer as he looked directly above him. There, hovering only a few inches from his face was an anxious-looking wolf, one whose restless smile quickly caused Falco to realize what was happening. He looked up at her with a smirk as he spoke with a hint of relief in his voice, "Heh, so it was you. Ya know, there are easier ways to get to this point…like asking." The young wolf said nothing in reply, but merely closed the distance between their heads, locking into an aggressive kiss with the unprepared avian.

_Umm…I guess I'll forget about Fox's secret for a while. Who cares about his secrets anyway?_

(Great Fox Bridge)

_Xantia…I wonder what's I'm in for when we get there. My mother told me that Xantia was the place that I would begin to understand. But what does that mean? Understand my mission? Understand this power I suddenly have? Understand what's happened to…her? Why do all of these things have to be hidden from me in the first place. I'm sure that if I knew exactly what I was doing and what I was up against, I could probably take more effective action, but for some reason, the truth always seems to be hidden. …I guess the animals in the Spirit Realm figure the best way to discover truth is firsthand…_

"Hey Fox, you ready to get this thing started?"

The contemplative vulpine snapped from his thoughts as he heard this rather upbeat voice speak from behind him. He turned his attention to the side of his new captains chair and found himself looking into the face of an unusually cheerful pink feline. Fox gave her an unconvincing nod as he spoke in a dull voice, "Ya, I've been ready for a long time, but now I'm actually doing something about it." Katt hesitated as she heard this, not sure if it was the best time to continue conversing with the vulpine in his obviously bland mood, but decided to press on as she spoke in a still optimistic tone, "It's great that your doing this, I think. You just needed a push in the right direction, isn't that right?" The feline emphasized the last part of her statement by playfully giving Fox's shoulder a nudge with her elbow, a gesture that the vulpine seemed oblivious to. Instead of acknowledging her words and actions, he turned his attention back to the floor that sat directly in front of his chair, speaking in a voice that had not been affected by the feline's friendly motions, "I shouldn't have needed to be pushed in the right direction. She means everything to me, and it took me a year to actually do something that I knew had to be done after all that time…" The feline's previously cheery expression fell at this statement, an action that was followed by her words of encouragement, "Listen Fox. Anyone would have had a tough time getting over something like you had to go through. You can't blame yourself for not getting over her death fast enough. If anything, it shows you care, right?" The vulpine shook his head subtly, answering almost immediately after his pink crewmember finished, "That might be true for them, but I can do something about it, but I haven't. Waiting this long doesn't mean I care, it means that I'm too weak, and that I'm afraid to face this destiny that I seem to have." He turned once again to the feline with an almost hurt-looking expression on his face as he finished with subdued emphasis, "What do you have to say about that, huh Katt?"

Whatever optimism had remained in Katt after it had initially begun to fade had now vanished completely as she found herself at a loss for words. Because of this, the bridge was filled with silence, a silence that was not broken for some time, a time during which Fox took to stand up from his chair at the head of the ship and turn to escape from the tension that filled the room as a result of his hopeless words. However, the vulpine was not able to make a step before a gentle blue light flashed from within the walls of the bridge, causing the entire room to be filled with this blue luminance before fading away. Both Katt and Fox hesitated after seeing this, neither of them being entirely sure of what that light meant, but this question was soon answered as a slightly distorted voice echoed throughout the bridge, "Hey Fox, are you on the bridge?" The vulpine hesitated for a moment as he determined the origin point of this voice, and after quickly determining that it was emanating from a speaker in his captains chair, he pressed a flashing blue button that sat underneath the speaker before answering, "Ya, I'm up here, what's the problem Slippy?" The voice of the toad wasted little time in responding, "Well, I was looking over the main computer consol of our new Great Fox, and I noticed that this machine registered a blue light that flashed on the bridge. Did you see that?" After nothing more than a simple affirmative answer to his question, Slippy continued on, "Ok, that's good. It seems like that will happen every time there is an incoming transmission to the ship. That light won't come on only for that though, but from what I've seen from this ship's manuals, there are other colors depending on different conditions of the ship. Like, if we were being attacked, the lights would flash red, and then when we got rid of the enemies, the lights would flash green to show that it's safe outside. There's a lot more colors too, but you probably don't want to hear about them all right now. You should probably see who is trying to contact us." The toad waited for some type of reply from his captain, but this never occurred. Feeling slightly confused, Slippy glanced down at the large mainframe he was standing in front of and quickly noticed that Fox had ended the transmission shortly after the toad had informed him of the blue light's purpose. He took a quiet sigh as he spoke to himself, "Gosh, I guess nothing's changed…"

"All members of Star Fox crew, please report to the Great Fox bridge immediately. General Pepper wishes to send his regards before we depart for current destination: Xantia."

Slippy seemed to forget about his previous feelings of being ignored as he heard this familiar robotic voice speak these words over the ship's intercom system. As a result of hearing this announcement, the toad turned from the ship's large mainframe, speaking quietly to himself as he quickly exited the room, "I almost completely forgot. ROB could have been upgraded along with the ship. I hope so, cause I can't wait to see all the new systems and programs he has installed."

It took the small toad a handful of minutes to reach the bridge, an amount of time that had increased from the older version of the Great Fox, which Slippy quickly found to be substantially smaller than the one the Star Fox team now resided within. After this brief trek through the many metallic hallways of the ship, he finally managed to breach the doors that led to the bridge, and it was as soon as these doors opened that he realized that he was the last to report in. After realizing this, Slippy hesitated with slight embarrassment as he scanned the room, due to the fact that everyone was now staring directly at him, and because he had never seen the new bridge of the Great Fox until now. Surprisingly, the toad found the bridge to be quiet small in comparison to the bridge of the previous Great Fox. There were no windows in this room, no bulky holographic emitter sitting in the middle of the room. Directly in front of him sat a large, inactive display screen that sat a short distance in front of a singular chair that could be found down a short flight of stairs. To the left of this chair sat a sort of walkway surrounded by short walls that led to the only computer that could be found on the bridge, a computer that was being controlled at that moment by a much cleaner and efficient looking ROB. Behind this stood two separate railings that protected anyone from falling the short distance from the level Slippy was standing on to where the singular chair was located. It was against these rails that Ayame, Falco, and Kaya stood, while both Fox and Katt looked up at him from their position on the lower level of the bride.

Contrary to what the toad had expected for him apparent tardiness, no one said anything as he made his appearance on the bridge. They merely turned back towards their leader took his seat at the front of the bridge. Soon after doing so and typing in a few short commanding into the consol on his captain's chair, the screen that sat at the front of the bridge lit up, which instantly caused the face of General Pepper to be brought up on the generously wide screen. It was almost as soon as his face appeared that he began to speak to the crew of the Great Fox. "Well Star Fox, it appears as though you will be leaving us once again. Perhaps your reason for doing such a thing is quite vague, but nevertheless, I wish you the best of luck in your travels. Although I do wish that you would be more open about what exactly you will be doing, but I suppose that is not my choice, is it?" Fox nodded, responding shortly after in an even tone of voice, "This is something I have to do…that I've had to do for a long time now. I couldn't have done it without your effort General." Pepper shook his head, replying with a slight chuckle, "No, no, the ship was nothing. You have more than earned it after all that you've done for this planet. I only wish that I could do more for you and your crew Fox. Just please…be careful. No one on this planet wants to come back as you did after your last return to the…"

Fox stopped the General before he could speak any farther on that matter as he raised his hand and spoke with hinted irritation, "We will be careful, don't worry. Now, just open the main docking bay doors and we'll be off. I'll report back if there are any problems, alright?" General Pepper looked at Fox with slight surprise, an expression that came as a result from the vulpines sudden impatience, but this appearance quickly faded as he spoke back in an understanding voice, "Understood, the bay doors will be open momentarily. I'll be looking forward to hearing about your future exploits. Until then Star Fox team, Pepper out." With those words, the screen went back to its original state, leaving the bridge in a temporary silence. One that was broken only seconds later as Fox stood from his chair to face ROB and announce in a calm voice, "ROB, prepare for take off. We'll be leaving as soon as those day doors open." The robot continued typing commands into his computer on the bridge as he spoke, "Affirmative, preparing for take off. Upon departure, programmed destination: Xantia, will be achieved in approximately fifty minutes via Warp Gate."

A few of the animals that heard these words were taken by surprise by the robots words. Slippy being the most of these, he spoke a short time after hearing ROB's words, "Really ROB? This ship is equipped with Warp Gate capabilities? That technology is only a few months old, and boy is it useful. Hyperspace used to be a real hassle since you had to clear a path so that there would be no collisions, but with a Warp Gate, you don't have to do that because the molecular structure of the ship is transferred so fast from place to place that there is almost no chance of a collision. Having Warp Gate capabilities will get us to different planets a lot faster than it used to." Falco shook his head indifferently at Slippy's comments, adding in an uninterested voice, "So what? We had Warp Gates on our ship, and it was nothing like this. With a ship this big, you'd have to have that kinda technology or it'd take forever to get anywhere, just like with that dumpy Great Fox we used to fly around." Ayame chimed in shortly after in a voice similar to Falco, "I couldn't imagine getting around in space without it. When you have a mission to get done, you don't have to putz around. There's nothing I hate more than sitting around on a ship with nothing to do while I'm waiting to get somewhere."

Upon hearing these words, Katt cast a sideways glare in the direction of the wolf, knowing that there was very little truth to her words. Unexpected to the feline however was that the wolf somehow noticed the feline's glare, causing Ayame to turn towards Katt with her hands on her hips as she spoke, "You got a problem down there pinkie? I really don't like it when you look at me like that, so how about you stop?" The focus of Katt's eye did not waver as she spoke in return, "I'm sorry, didn't mean to offend you, but we all know what you're up to. You sure you don't do anything when you're waiting around on the ship? You just sit in your room and stare out the window the whole time, right?" Ayame shook her head, replying shortly after in an amused sounding voice, "Heh, of course not. There are better ways to pass the time, not that you'd know what I'm talking about." This time Katt shook her head as she responded, "Really? Then maybe you'd like to tell me what you were doing before you came up to the bridge?" It was here that the two females eyes broke contact as Ayame turned away, answering in a slightly defensive voice, "That's really none of your business. But what I want to know is why you care so much. I mean, we don't even know each other and you're already trying to make me look like a terrible animal. What is your problem?" Katt walked a short distance closer to the wolf as she responded confidently, "What's my problem? I'd have to say it's you." Ayame quickly turned back to the feline with the hint of an angry smirk on her face, "Those are big words coming from a little kitty like you. You should know better to mess with a species above your own." The feline shrugged her shoulders as she spoke in reply, "If that was true, I'd have been dead a long time ago. Don't think your stronger than me just because you're a wolf. Besides, how many people have even heard of you? Ayame? Must not be that great of a mercenary if no one's even heard of ya." Katt let off a satisfied smirk at the end of this statement, causing the wolf's teeth to clench slightly as her anger became more and more apparent. Despite these feelings however, Ayame managed to compose herself before she spoke in retaliation, "Heh, please. Are you saying that you are better than me just because you're some prissy model? As far as I can tell, that won't help you out here in space, or in a fight for that matter, and that's kinda what I feel we're headed for if you don't shut your pink face up. And I'm sure a few broken bones in your face won't be the greatest thing for your girly little career, will it?"

Ayame's face lit up with satisfaction after these words, but that was not enough to deter Katt from continuing this verbal competition. However, there was something else that hindered her from pressing on in the debate, and that was the voice of their leader, who spoke from his captain's chair, "What's happening? Why haven't we left yet? ROB, what's the problem?" All activity on the bridge halted as Fox spoke, a moment in time that was followed only by the reply of the robot, "Main Docking bay door seems to have malfunctioned. Estimated time until repair, four hours, twenty-seven minutes." At these words, Fox quickly attempted to contact the docking bay to see if there was some other way to open the door, but this attempt led only to failure as ROB spoke again, "Captain Fox McCloud's attempts to contact Docking Bay Maintenance are unsuccessful, transmission error in communication circuit 64-Cx. Repair of circuit required for successful transmissions." Fox stood abruptly from his chair after hearing these words, throwing a firm glance back towards Slippy. The toad could have almost fallen over from such an aggressive and commanding glance being shot in his direction, and there was no hesitation on his part to find and repair that circuit. As Slippy quickly left the bridge, Fox tried to communicate with the Docking Bay staff once more, only to have it end in a similar fashion. It was after this attempt that the captain slammed his fist forcefully into the armrest of his chair, yelling out in a voice that caught everyone off guard, "What is happening? First the doors won't open and now the ship is already having problems? I'm not going to let stuff like this stop me! ROB! Prepare to fire on that hanger door. If it won't open, I'll just have to open it myself!"

The bridge was silenced by the aggressive words of their usually composed leader, each of the animals that stood around him looked at him with eyes filled with confusion, and even a hint of fear. As Fox stormed over towards ROB's computer to make sure the robot was doing as he was told, Falco hopped over the railing and began to approach the vulpine. Before he reached his friend however, he stopped next to the still angry looking Katt and said evenly, "You need to drop it. She'll live how she wants, and you live how you want, alright?" He then took one step further towards the vulpine before speaking again, "And you Fox, you're not really gonna go and blow the doors off this place, are you?. Just wait the few hours it'll take and then we'll leave. Not like it's a big deal, besides, you may end up hurting more than just this docking bay ya know…so just calm down Fox." His captain turned to him with an expression that matched the attitude of his recent outburst as he replied hurriedly, "I don't have time to wait for the door to open Falco! I've already wasted too much time on this planet and I won't let anything slow me down any more, got it?" The avian stood for a moment, not sure of what he could possibly say to their extremely anxious leader, so instead of trying to fight it, Falco merely shrugged his shoulders and answered indifferently, "Well, you're the captain here. You do whatever you think is best, and I'll go with it. If you wanna blow a hole in this place, go for it, I'm not stopping you."

Fox did not make any sort of gesture in response to the avian's response, but merely turned back to ROB's computer as he spoke instead to the robot, "Prepare to fire on the hanger doors ROB, and once we do that, make sure we get off the planet as fast as you can. Got it?" After an almost reluctant affirmative reply from the robot, Fox took a deep breath before speaking once again to ROB, "Alright then, take aim at those hanger door and fire on my command." Falco glanced back at the remaining animals on the bridge and motioned for them to brace themselves against anything they could get their hand on, which everyone besides Fox found to be the small guardrail. All noise on the bridge seemed to stop at this moment, no one being exactly sure about what was about to happen or why Fox was suddenly acting out in such a way. However, their time for these thoughts was cut short as Fox announced loudly to the robot that sat slightly above him, "Fire!"

(Main Hangar Bay surveillance room)

A panicked voice broke out of the previously quiet room, which had only been filled with the noises of quietly humming monitors before this voice spoke, "General Pepper! Come in General Pepper. There's been an accident in our main hangar bay!"

There was a slight hesitation on the other end of the transmission before a voice came in response, "…Pepper here. What's the problem officer?"

The officer responded quickly in a voice that still seemed to be filled with alarm, "It seems like the Great Fox has fired on and completely destroyed our malfunctioning bay door and is now making its way out of the hole it created. Should I try and contact them?"

For a moment, nothing was heard over the intercom, but this silence did not last long before Pepper responded in a shocked tone of voice, "You mean…they shot at the door from the inside of the hangar? That's crazy! Are you sure that it wasn't a weapons malfunction of some sort?"

The animal wasted no time in responding, "No sir, their main cannons were adjusted directly at the door only moments before it was fired upon. It had to be a deliberate attack. Should we keep him from leaving?" After saying this, the surveillance officer waited for a response, but for several seconds, he was supplied with nothing more than silence from the other end of the transmission. Not sure if he had lost the General's signal, he called into the speaking with a hint of confusion in his voice, "General Pepper, are you still there? Should I stop them?"

Suddenly out of nowhere, Pepper's voice was once again heard over the intercom, "…No, don't stop them. You won't do any good trying to slow the Great Fox down with any of the ships you have there right now…or even with any ship on this planet."

There was a slight hesitation by the officer as he heard these words, but having been told this from the General himself, he asked in a respectful voice, "Then what are your orders sir?"

It was almost as if you could hear the General's amused smile on the other end of the transmission as he spoke in response to the surveillance officer's question, "Get to fixing that door, and wish Fox and his crew good luck as they depart. If Fox is that determined to get on with his mission, there can't be a force alive that can stop him. I just hope that such determination will not cause him to do anything too rash…"

The General chuckled to himself as he ended the transmission, speaking quietly under his breath as he did so, "What am I saying? He just attempted to destroy our main hangar. Perhaps such action is forgivable here, but if that vulpine continues to take such reckless action, he may find himself in real trouble. Just be careful Fox, and come back to Corneria successful in your exploits. We're all rooting for you, just as we always have, Fox McCloud."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Umm…Hi! Guess who had to play golf everyday of his life and then decide to use that as his excuse to not type! Me! I hope that you may find it in your forgiving hearts to pardon me for such tardiness. However, I am not quitting this story, because now that golf is over, I no longer have a valid excuse for not typing. Anyway, that's all I have to say, Chao! Oh wait! Krystal's part of this story will be like Falco's side story in Echoes of the Future, then it can be more developed, which I know is much needed in that department of the story. Now I'm done for real…

(Title not yet devised)  
Check it, the Star Fox team is now leaving for the planet Xantia, and they can actually get there in one chapter now because of those sweet green warp gates! Yes, no more 3 chapter, "Let's get to the planet" chapters! Fox will contemplate his actions and perhaps Katt and Ayame will finish their fight. Guess you'll see in a few days…

RANDOM NOTES: I have a lot of random things to say, ready? Kingdom Hearts 2 is like, the sweetest game on earth. Buy it this very second. Benchwarmers is the greatest movie of all time. The ring tone on my cell is "Mr. Roboto" and it's the best thing ever. I can play Guitar Hero on medium, and a few on hard, Guitar Hero is muy funo. That be it.

MAIL CALL: I'm not doing it because I got half a million reviews while I was gone, and I'm sure you want this posted before you want me to reply to your reviews.


	6. Recollection

Chapter 6: Recollection

"This morning at approximately 10:51, a terrible and disturbing accident occurred in Corneria's newest and most expensive hangar. The incident took place shortly after Fox McCloud and his crew boarded their new vessel, an upgraded version of the Great Fox. Eyewitnesses who were on the scene monitoring the situation have told us that their main hangar door was experiencing some mechanical problems, which would have prevented the Star Fox team from leaving the planet for upwards of four hours. However, this wait was forgone as the Great Fox was said to aim and fire upon the massive door, destroying the entire side of the hangar it had fired upon. It was immediately after this accident that the Great Fox lifted off from the hangar, using this newly created opening to avoid having to stay an extra four hours. Fortunately, no one was hurt during this accident, but the implications of this "accident" may leave those who look up to Fox McCloud with an unfamiliar feeling, doubt. According to General Pepper, it was nothing more than a weapons malfunction due to the Star Fox team's unfamiliarity to their new ship, but seeing as how General Pepper is one of the larger Star Fox advocates, it is speculated that his saying this is merely a cover for the team. What if the team did this of its own free will? Could it be that Fox McCloud's year-long break from service has changed him completely? We'll have more information as it is made available. Until next time, this is Jason Griffith for CBN."

As these words exited from the wide-screen television that sat against a wall in one of the many seating rooms that were scattered throughout the Great Fox, its previously active display was rendered inactive by the only animal that sat within that room. It was here, as the area around her because completely filled with silence that she stayed, not knowing what she should do. Her leader used to make headlines because of all the positive effects he had wherever he went, but his recent outburst had revealed a side of the captain that the feline had never seen before. Usually he was so calm and collected, so much so that it inspired the same from all those who followed him, but since she had seen him since her visit to his lonely house, she had not sensed that inspiring quality that he had previously possessed. The feline reached for a nearby pillow that rested messily on the couch she was sitting on and propped it up against an armrest, leaving her to stare up at the empty ceiling as she reclined on her back, her head resting comfortably upon the recently repositioned pillow. It was here, as she stared up into the unending white that stood upon the ceiling that her thoughts began to take over her mind.

_Fox, I know you feel like you took too long to go on this weird mission of yours, but did that give you the right to blow that hangar apart? I mean, it wouldn't have taken that long for the mechanics at the hangar to fix that door, and after all that time you waited, what difference is another handful of hours gonna make? Guess I'm not the judge of his actions, no one knows what this mission were on is about, except Fox. Maybe we really don't have any time to waste sitting around waiting for small problems like the hangar door to work themselves out. I'll just have to trust that he knows what he's doing and hope everything works out, cause I don't think could take it if anything happened to slow him down anymore. Who knows when he'll blow up like that again, maybe today, maybe never. Just gotta make sure me and the rest of the crew are behind him no matter what he does. After all, that's the first rule you learn at the Academy, respect those in authority above you and follow orders without question. But…what if…_

"Well, look who it is. I've been lookin' all over the ship for you, figures you'd be hiding from me after what you said on the bridge."

The feline jolted from her reclining position as she heard this voice, scanning the room quickly before spotting an irritated looking female wolf standing only a few feet from where her head had previously been resting. The pink-furred animal stood from the couch immediately after seeing Ayame and turned to face her, making sure to keep a good bit of distance between them. For a moment, neither of the females spoke, both of them doing nothing more than staring the other down. This period of silence did not last long however before the wolf continued on in an arrogant voice, "So, anything you want to say to me now that we're away from everyone else? Or did you finally figure out it's best to mind your own business?"

Katt lowered her head slightly as a smirk crept across her face, an action that was followed shortly after by her own words, "If you had any idea of who I was, you'd know better than to follow me around telling me I'm wrong."

This time it was Ayame's turn to reveal a small grin of her own as she spoke in retaliation, "Oh, and you think that's supposed to scare me? I've been in some pretty tough scraps in my life, and I've taken down men that were bigger than you. So if you don't want a fight, you're the one that better stop walking around thinking I'm wrong."

Katt shook her head while shaking her head, adding in an uncaring voice, "Listen, you can live your life, and I'll live mine alright? I really don't care what you do in your free time with Falco, just don't pretend that you're so innocent, ok?"

Upon hearing these words, Ayame seemed to hesitate, if only slightly, before she spoke in reply with a hint of resentment in her voice, "This is exactly what I'm talking about. You just shut up and get out of my business. Then you'll have more time to kiss up to Fox like you always do. Sound like a good trade?"

The feline wasted no time in shortening the gap between herself and the wolf after hearing these words, retaliating with her own as she did so, "I'm not kissing up to him, I'm making sure he knows that he has the support of his team. I'm not sure if you know or care, but he's been through some tough stuff recently and he's having a hard time dealing with it. But I'm sure if you had a heart, you'd have seen that for yourself by now."

Ayame's smirk returned as she heard this remark, and unlike Katt, she did not take any steps towards the other female, but merely ran one of her hands through the hair on her head as she tried to restrain herself from laughing. As she did so, she spoke in a voice that perfectly matched her current attitude, "You think I believe that crap? I've seen how you act around him, you are totally into him and it's so obvious it hurts. Seeing you act like this only proves it, why don't you just admit it pinkie?"

Katt froze in place as she heard the wolf's words, her head lowering slightly as her slow walk towards Ayame came to an end. It was here that she stood for a moment, hearing nothing more than her own thoughts and Ayame's quiet laughter. She did not remain in this position for long however as she once again looked up towards the wolf and spoke with a slowly clenching fist at her side, "You can think whatever you want. See if I care about what you tell me is the truth. But if you push me too far, don't blame it on me when you end up getting hurt."

From some distance away, footsteps could be heard quickly approaching the sitting room where this debate was taking place, but neither of the animals noticed. They were too focused on their argument to notice anything else that was happening around them, but even though this was true, Katt soon found that she was not prepared enough. This was immediately made evident as Ayame raised her fist and swiftly directed it towards the pink feline as she loudly spoke in an angry voice, "Then I guess I'll have to be the one to hurt you first!"

This sudden action took Katt completely off guard and she was forced to try and dodge what was sure to be a direct blow to her face. She attempted to raise her hands up to her face fast enough so that the blow would be slightly deadened, but it was already too late, the wolf's angry fist was rushing at her face at too quick a pace to be stopped. And so, knowing that a great amount of pain was about to surge throughout her, she cringed hard, not wanting to see the impact as it happened. The impact however, was never imparted to her. Instead, just as Ayame's fist was about it contact the feline's pink and startled face, someone had jumped in front of the powerful attack, taking the blow in with a painful grunt as this third animal's body collided with Katt's causing them both to crash onto the unforgiving metal floor of the Great Fox.

For a moment, nothing was heard throughout the room, spare the groans of the one who had taken the hit in place of Katt. The feline quickly opened her eyes to see who it was that had taken that attack for her, only to see that her captain was lying on top of her, his nose and mouth bleeding lightly from the impact he had received. Katt slowly and carefully removed herself from underneath the groaning vulpine, glaring at the wolf the entire time she did so. It was only seconds after she had been landed upon that she had once again gained her freedom out from under Fox's body, and after managing to do so, she positioned herself at his head, asking in a worried voice, "Fox…are you alright?"

He shook his head, a response that was followed shortly after as he regained his feet. After seeing the small amount of blood that was spattered across the floor and running his hand across his face to see the decent amount of blood there as well, he turned away from the two females and gruffly spoke, "We don't need any fights on this ship ok? This is not the way we start a new mission. We're a team, so any problems you have, you come and tell me instead of taking it out on each other. Besides, there's no point in arguing over me, I can deal with my own problems." He paused for a moment after saying this, only to speak again a short time after in a more quiet and calm voice, "I came down here to tell you that we're about enter the Warp Gate to Xantia. I want you both up there as soon as possible." With those words, the vulpine slowly walked away from the sitting room and made his way around the corner and out of sight.

Katt took a few hesitant steps towards the corner Fox had just rounded, speaking in a loud voice so that she was sure he could hear her words, "Fox, are you sure you're alright? Maybe you should head down to the Medical Center before you head back to the bridge." Despite her attempt, her words of concern went unanswered as they echoed down the metallic hallways of the Great Fox until they finally faded away. And just as her echo had proceeded to do only seconds before, she too walked free of the sitting room and quickly rounded the corner as Fox had only moments before. As much as she had wanted to get back at Ayame for doing what she did to Fox, she forced herself to quickly disregard those feelings in favor of honoring her captain's request to forgo any further fighting.

The wolf soothingly rubbed her slightly aching fist as she watched the feline disappear just as Fox had only moments before her. She smiled, looking down at her fist as she spoke quietly to herself, "You can't deny it, I can see it in the way you act around him. You really like him, don't you pinkie? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone…it'll be our little secret."

Meanwhile on the bridge, the three remaining members of the Star Fox team stood in wait for the return of their captain, as well as the other two missing females. This wait had caused a long silence to be cast over the bridge, an abnormality that rarely ever was experienced aboard the previous Great Fox. The reason for this being that this ship required almost no work by crew members, and even if they did wish to work with a computer on the bridge, they would have to share it with the robot, who was the only one doing actual work in that room. Because of this inactivity, these three animals merely stood good distances apart from each other and listened to ROB's joints make quick movements against his computer screen.

In such an environment, it is easily understandable that these animals would become slightly restless over time, especially for someone with a tolerance for patience as short Falco. As a result of this, the avian suddenly spoke across the bridge, not really doing anything more than breaking the long, awkward silence as he did so, "Hey Kaya, what do you think of our captain so far? I mean, besides the part where he looked like he was about to kill someone when we left Corneria."

The black and white striped tiger hesitated as she heard Falco direct this question towards her. She had rather been enjoying the time of silence that was previously held on the bridge, but she lowered her head timidly as she spoke quietly in reply, "He's good."

Falco let off a snicker as he heard this semblance of a reply, speaking back in a lighthearted voice, "That's all? Isn't there something else you have to say about him? I mean, you haven't really had time to get to know him, but you could make a better call than that."

As soon as Falco's words ended, Slippy spoke in a sympathetic from a position near ROB's computer, "Don't say stuff like that Falco, you know what she had to go through. It's probably kinda hard for her to talk to animals like that…"

Falco wasted no time in conjuring up a reply, "Ya, maybe, but it's been almost six months since then. You'd think after all that time you could get over something like that, besides, its not like we're gonna do anything to her like they did, right Slippy?"

The toad hesitated slightly, knowing that bringing up such a sensitive topic was not the best idea, especially in front of Kaya herself. Before he replied to the avian's words, Slippy looked over towards the one they were talking about, only to notice that she now held her head against her chest, making it look as if she was trying to ignore the words as they reverberated throughout the small room they were standing it. The toad quickly took pity of the tiger as he saw this, shortly after speaking in response to Falco with a voice that reflected these feelings, "I don't think we should talk about this now…I don't think she wants to hear us talk about it."

Falco shook his head in disagreement, speaking back with almost no hesitation to Slippy's words, "That doesn't make sense to me. If we never talk about it, how's she gonna get over her problems? She can't just go on being a mute her whole life. Right Kaya? That's makes perfect sense, doesn't it?"

For a short while, the young tiger did not move as she heard these words, but it was not long before her already embarrassed expression began to worsen, up until the point where she had to raise her hands to her eyes in order to hinder the progress newly formed tears as a result of her growing discomfiture. It was here as these tears began to cloud her face that she briefly spoke in a wavering voice, "I can't…I…won't speak…"

Falco felt a sense of accomplishment in seeing the tiger shed tears, figuring that it meant that she was on her way to recovery, and with this in his mind, he continued to speak in as comforting a voice as he could muster, "See, you just gotta get it outta your system and you'll be alright. No big deal, now just tell us everything that happened that day and I bet you'll…"

Much to the avian's surprise; he was actually cut off by the wavering voice of the tiger as she spoke hesitantly before Falco was able to finish his statement, "Stop…please."

Upon hearing these words, Falco quickly withdrew from attempting to comfort her any further, finally understanding that all of his efforts to help the feline during the previous few minutes had been ineffective. Once again, the bridge was filled with something close to silence, the only thing keeping it from being so was Kaya's gentle sobs as the traces of tears began to run down her face. Neither of the animals knew what they could do to help, leaving them both to do nothing more than stand by and watch with sympathy. However, they were saved from having to observe this for too long as the sound of the opening bridge door broke the depressing silence.

The newly arrived vulpine stopped abruptly as he entered the room, almost as if he sensed what had happened only seconds before his arrival. If this was true, then he did nothing to prove it, as he seemed to mentally shrug off the feeling and continue on his way towards the captain's chair at the front of the bridge. He walked past each of the three animals without stopping or even glancing over at them, the one he acknowledged first was the robot that sat just to his left as Fox descended the small set of stairs. The vulpine spoke in a flat voice as he reached this point, "Open the Warp Gate ROB, the other's will be up soon enough. I don't have the time to wait for them."

Shortly after an affirmative answer was given by the robot, Falco spoke to his captain in a slightly sarcastic voice, "Hey Fox, what were those two doing down there? I'd bet anything you had to go down there and break up a big ol' girl fight, right?"

The vulpine merely glanced over at the avian with a frustrated look on his face after he had been asked this rather acerbic question, turning just enough so that his faintly bloody and battered face could be seen. Upon seeing this, the avian took a few steps towards his captain's current position and asked in a voice that had forgone all sarcasm, "Whoa Fox, what the heck happened to you? You didn't get involved in whatever they were doing down there, did you?"

Fox looked back towards ROB's computer, raising his hand to remove some of the small spots of blood that still remained on his face as he did so. This action was followed shortly after by the vulpine's quiet and apathetic reply, "It's nothing any of you need to worry about. No one was hurt, so just forget it. I've been through worse…" Fox's voice trailed off as his speech continued briefly in his mind.

_But I've never seen things this bad with my own crew…_

Before anyone could have time to respond to the vulpine's words, ROB spoke in his usual monotone voice, "Warp Gate status: Open and clear for entrance. Awaiting further commands."

As these emotionless words sounded throughout the bridge, the one and only screen that sat at the front of this room lit up, giving the animals that stood within it's walls a glimpse of the actual opening of the Warp Gate. At first, there was nothing more than the blank, star-spotted view of space on the screen, but as if almost out of nowhere, a bridge green light began to shine in front of the Great Fox. Shortly after this overwhelming glow had filled the bridge's monitor, it's brightness began to fade, and it instead began to focus slowly away from the head of the Great Fox and venture a good distance forward before it halted and created a giant green hole within the never-ending darkness of space.

Almost instantly after ROB had finished speaking and the green portal in front of them had come to a complete halt, Fox replied in a partial voice, "Enter the Warp Gate now, ROB."

The robot wasted no time in replying, "Affirmative, entering Warp Gate to destination: Xantia."

After these words, there was nothing heard on the bridge. No one spoke or even thought of speaking, their attention too diverted by the gaping green circle that slowly crept closer to the Great Fox as time gradually passed. It was here, as they silently watched themselves slowly approach the Warp Gate that a pink feline made her entrance onto the Great Fox, an entrance that was received only by nothing more than a few brief glances in acknowledgment. Feeling slightly awkward about her silent entrance, she crept in a few steps to avoid the door, which closed quickly as soon as she was out of its threshold. It was here that she noticed the bridge's main monitor and what it displayed. Having never seen this process before, she broke the previous silence by inquiring about what now sat mere miles ahead of them, "What is that? The Warp Gate? Either that or we're about to get completely smoked by a huge laser."

For a while, the felines words did nothing more than reverberate through the small bridge before dying without an answer. However, instead of an answer, the vulpine who stood at the front of the bridge began to retreat from his position, no longer looking at the screen as he turned an started on his way up the small set of stairs and across the floor. This caused all the other animals that stood on the bridge to forget about what sat just in front of them on the monitor and instead place their attention on the vulpine, a reaction that Fox did not respond to in the least. But before he could reach the bridge door and leave without saying a word, Katt spoke again just as he was about to pass, doing so with a hint of confusion in her voice, "Wait, where are you going Fox? Don't you wanna make sure we get through this Warp Gate alright?"

The vulpine calmly stopped himself from moving forward any farther as answered quietly with no hesitation, "No, we'll get through the Warp Gate fine, I'm sure. There's something I need to do right now instead, and you'll handle any problems that come up for me, right?"

Katt nodded slowly, responding shortly after, "Oh, sure. But still, what's so important that you'd leave the bridge like this?"

Fox turned his head towards Katt, giving her an unusually cold glance as he spoke back, "If it was important enough for you to know, I'd tell you. You just worry about yourself for now, alright?"

These incensed words hung in the air as the feline, as well as the rest of the crew who stood on the bridge, looked at the vulpine with shock. He made no effort to reconcile for his rather insensitive statement, but merely returned his attention directly forward before quietly exiting from the room. No words were exchanged after their vulpine captain took his sudden leave from the bridge, but several confused glances were given in their places. Never had anyone even heard of such disrespectful behavior from the legendary mercenary Fox McCloud, yet that very description fit the vulpine's recent attitude perfectly. Why this would come about, none of these animals knew for sure, but it didn't take much thought to figure out that such conduct could only led to even greater problems. No one on the bridge had doubted his aptitude for being the leader of the Great Fox, but such suspicions were beginning to creep into their minds, as much as they did not want to face it.

Such thoughts however were nowhere near the mind of the vulpine as he purposely made his way down the corridors of the Great Fox, not once taking the time to look up from the metal floor that sat beneath him. The last thing he wanted right now was distractions. He only had one thing on his mind, and that singular fixation was exactly what he desired. For too long had he stood indecisive about the action was about to do this very day. For almost a year he had waited, contemplating this complex destiny that loomed ahead of him. Often during that period of indecision he would wonder what good could come from journeying across the galaxy once more. Were those dreams really pointing him to take part some nearly implausible undertaking, or were they just the memories of that day manifesting itself in his mind, haunting him as he slept? It didn't matter which of the two were right, all that mattered was which question he himself thought was true, and that single task was perhaps one of the greatest he had ever faced. It may have taken a whole year, but he had finally chosen his path. There was only one way to go now, and he would not let anything stop him, or even slow him down.

It was only a handful of minutes after the vulpine had left the bridge before he reached his destination. He hesitated as he reached this point, raising his vision from the floor until his eyes met with a small engraving that sat upon the door he found himself standing in front of. Upon it sat the words, "DO NOT ENTER: CONTENTS EXTREMLY DANGEROUS." After this brief observation, Fox continued to walk towards the surface door until it quickly opened up in front of him, allowing him to enter into what he knew, as far as he himself was concerned, to be the most important part of the Great Fox.

As he walked into the room and the door closed behind him, he found that there was no sign of light in this room, spare one large light that hung from the ceiling at the far end of this otherwise darkened room, a light that cast a soft blue light in only a very specific area of the room. Before advancing towards the source of light in this room however, the vulpine turned to a small device that sat directly to the right of the door and placed his index finger against a small sensor that was ingrained within the apparatus. Less than a second after he had done this, the small machine silently let of a gentle green glow, letting Fox know that he was clear to enter. If he had not done this, a special light would blink on his wrist communicator, signaling him immediately of any intruder that had entered into this restricted area.

It was almost immediately after he had taken this security precaution that he turned to face the only lit-up area in the entire room. At first he walked towards this area of light blue with haste, not wanting to wait any longer than he already had to see what sat amidst the darkness, but after making it nearly halfway through the deceptively large room, his pace steadily slowed, the thoughts of what he was about to see taking the place of whatever he had felt before. His attitude may have changed when he was with his crew or on Corneria, but it was here that the true Fox McCloud was revealed. This fact was clear as he approached the lit area of this room, a lit area that held a large container that Fox had visited devoutly since that day. He slowly rounded the back of the machine, which faced the door he had entered from, and came around to the front of the machine where a large and complicated control panel sat. He quickly looked above this panel, only to see that a metal curtain shielded the container's contents, just as Fox had requested. No one would be able to move this metal out of the way by force since it was such a heavy piece of material, only by use of the control panel could such a thing be moved out of the way, and thanks to the doctors at the Cornerian Laboratory, the vulpine was quickly able to decipher which button would accomplish such a task without accidentally pressing an incorrect button and triggering undesired effects upon the object that sat within this container. The vulpine scanned the complicated device for only a few seconds before finding an almost undetectable blue button among the hundreds of other, much larger buttons and switches that sat upon the control panel. Upon pressing this button, a quiet grinding of gears was heard as the curtain of metal rose towards the ceiling, gradually revealing to the vulpine what he so desperately wanted to see.

It was not long before this obstruction had risen fully into the ceiling, revealing its spotless glass-like surface shortly after. It was as this occurred that Fox was forced to suddenly fall back onto the ground as all too familiar emotions began to overtake him. However, as he fell, his eyes never parted from the sight that was held within the glass capsule that sat only feet in front of him. It was her, the one he had accompanied throughout the galaxy in search of answers to the very destiny that haunted him now. When she was killed in the final battle against Scales, Fox felt as if he no longer had a reason to live, because it was then that he realized that she was the one thing that could fill the unexplainable void that he had felt for so long a time. But now, as he saw her lifelessly suspended in front of him, he realized that he had chosen the correct path. How could he deny her the right to a second chance at life, a chance she had whole-heartedly given him only one short year ago? Perhaps she was not with him now, but he knew that she was watching him from somewhere, wishing him the best just as she always had.

For some amount of minutes, the vulpine did nothing more than stare upon her unmoving body, wondering what great lengths we would have to go to in order to bring her back. Not that it mattered, he was willing to do anything it took to get her back now, his drive to fulfill his destiny at that moment was more intense at that moment then it ever had been over the course of the passing year. Seeing her hanging in the nothingness that the capsule contained this time did not fill him with despair as it had before, on the contrary, it made him more determined than ever to get her back, and he would not fail. A single, silent tear fell from his eye as he regained his footing once again, knowing that soon, she would be back, and that was a time he would attempt to bring about as soon as he possibly could.

Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a second light made its way into the darkened room. Fox immediately noticed that and quickly scanned the room, thinking that perhaps someone had entered into the forbidden room without permission. However, after finding that this conjecture was inaccurate, he quickly after found that the light was actually emanating from himself. He looked across his body in surprise, having no idea what was going on, mostly because of the fact that even though it was obvious that this feint light was shining from his own body, he could not feel anything in himself that would explain such a thing. Just as Fox was about to figure out what this sudden light meant, it abruptly vanished from his body, just as it had come. For a moment, he stood motionless, trying to decipher exactly why that power had suddenly manifested within himself. Usually when the Energy of Life made itself apparent inside himself, he was filled with a variety of sensations, but on this occasion, no such thing was felt, spare one thing. That being the fact that his mind seemed much less clouded after experiencing that weak surge of that ever-mysterious power. It was as if he was able to look past the mistakes he had made in the past and focus solely on what he had to do to prevent it from being recreated. The vulpine looked once again towards the beautiful blue body of the vixen as he spoke quietly, a smile breaking into his visage as he did so, "Thank you…I know there isn't anything that can stop me now, I just won't allow it. I'll get you back…I promise you."

"Fox? You back here? Fox?"

The vulpine's attention was quickly distracted by the shouting voice as it passed to door to the room he was currently in and continued down the hallway. He hesitated for a moment, but then quickly looked back towards the lifeless vixen and spoke again in a quiet voice, "They need me, but I'll be back, alright?" With those words, the vulpine once again pressed the small blue button on the large control panel, causing the metal curtain to fall back over the container, preventing anyone from seeing the vixen's body for the time being. As soon as he knew the metal had successfully returned to its original position, he began to withdraw from his most treasured part of this new Great Fox and make his way back to his crew.

As he reached the surface of the door, he paused for a moment, listening to make sure no one would see him emerge from this room. After several seconds, he deemed it safe to leave the room and did so quietly so that he would not immediately draw unwanted attention. As soon as he had done so, he began to walk slowly through the halls of the Great Fox, only to be discovered by a familiar pink feline after a very short time.

She looked toward him with confusion in her eyes as she spoke, "Where have you been Fox? The whole crew's been looking for you for a while now."

The vulpine replied vaguely short after this question had been posed, "I was getting ready to head down to the planet." He continued speaking, but quickly changing the subject so that his previous location would not have to be revealed, "We did get to the planet alright, didn't we?"

Katt nodded, responding with no hesitance in her voice, "Oh, ya, we exited the Warp Gate about twenty minutes ago and we were getting ready to leave, but we kinda had to find you first so we could actually get on with your mission."

The vulpine smiled at this comment, an expression that seemed to come as a surprise to the feline. He followed this up with his reply, "Well here I am, so lets get down to the planet. Is the rest of the crew already waiting in the docking bay?"

The pink feline nodded, answering in a much more comfortable voice than she had used recently around the vulpine, "Ya, I told em' to go wait there after looking for about ten minutes. I figured it couldn't be too hard to find you around the ship. I mean, this is your mission after all, you'd probably have shown up on the docking bay on your own eventually, I guess."

The vulpine walked towards Katt, motioning forward with his head as he spoke, "Then let's get down there. We don't want to make Falco wait longer than he has too."

Katt smiled at this comment, not because of his words against Falco, but because for the first time since his one year departure from society, she could see the true Fox McCloud in front of her, not that hollow shell that he had been for so long a time. After a quick nod, she eagerly followed after the vulpine as they both walked silently down the hallways of the Great Fox.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Jeez, how many filler chapters can I make here? I figured we'd get to the planet in this chapter, but somehow I figured out how to avoid that. Oh well, for sure they'll get there in the next chapter. I really don't have anything to say besides the fact that by the time I post my next chapter, I'll have graduated from high school! I guess that's all I have to say for now…how boring.

(Title not yet devised)  
Yay, Xantia! What does Fox have to do in order to grow in the Energy of Life? And what power will he learn? I guess you'll have to find out later…probably 2 or 3 chapters later, since this will be a multi-parter! How fun, things will actually happen now! Peace!

MAIL CALL:  
AntiGravity 5-1-0  
Hopefully I'm the first reviewer for this here, and I'd like to officially thank you for coming back to us, your presence here means a helluva lot to us.  
I could go through this story with a fine toothcomb to find problems, but I don't want to; mainly because this truly is absolutely gripping stuff, and I absolutely love it.  
The section was absolutely filled with emotion and suspense, and I could really connect with most of your characters. I really, really want to hear more of this, so don't let us down. (Not that you ever really will, but hey; I nearly always end reviews for good stories like this)  
Keep it Comin'!  
AntiGravity 5-1-0

_FoxMC: I absolutely appreciate your review! I will never let this story idle for as long as it did last time! I'm dedicated like never before!_

Fox The Cave II  
(Look it up, it's like big and stuff)

_FoxMC: Check it out dawg! No parenthesis dividers or bunchy dialogue! _

disturbedthoughts  
Oh my god! I thought that this fic was dead! And it's not and I'm so happy. Don't take this long ever again...Please?

_FoxMC: For a while I thought it was dead too, but I didn't want to let anyone down so I had to keep going, and now I'm enjoying it just as much as I did when I started. It will never take that long to update again!_

abee  
Hmm, good story, but the plot is a little slow. Try picking up the pace a bit. Also, your dialogue needs to be fixed like Fox the Cave said, and stop announcing the transitions in your story - you can do that in better ways. Otherwise, I like it, keep it up!

_FoxMC: Ya, I seem to have trouble boring people with character development and stuff, but it has to be done…_

Titan  
Congratulations on your return almighty fanfiction writer Titan bows to FoxMC. This here reviewer is like totally in shock from finding out you wrote this chapter. Now what should I say? After the longest wait ever this was woth it.  
Alright Titan over and out.

_FoxMC: Wow, no need to bow. I'm just your everyday fanfiction writer trying to avoid hate mail from fans that want to kill me because I took so long to update. Tough life…_

SonicBreezie4ever  
Wow! Haven't seen this in awhile! XD I was just thinking about this yesterday, how funny! But ahem, to the comment. It was very good! I can't wait for the next chapter to be up! I bet it's gonna be really great now that they're off! Missed your writing and great chapter!

_FoxMC: Thanks! I hope it'll be good once they leave, I mean, it should be, but I can never tell when I type it up…_

SPG inc.  
UPDATE! YAY! AND NO MORE GOLF TO DISTRACT THE WRITER!  
builds shaine to Fox MC

_FoxMC: Yay, my own shaine! Finally!_

Spectral Swordsman  
FINALLY! I am oh, so glad that you continued this very promising story. This chapter is exceptional, just like all the others! Keep doing what you're doing, you're doing great.

_Fox MC: Ya, I'm glad I kept going to, this is way more fun than blistering up my hands playing golf everyday!_

Another Star Fox Fan  
AWESOME! NEW CHAPTER! Lovin' it! Keep it up please this is amazing! Haven't had a chance to read your other story yet, I just happened to see you updated this one, but I will read it asap! again- AWESOME!

_FoxMC: Ok, I'll keep it up! I get to many reviews like this; I have nothing new to say. Thanks for da niceness!_

Aether Mantis  
Most excellent, MC, most excellent. I could actually feel the emotion.

_FoxMC: Again, thanks. I'd hope there are some redeeming features to have chapters that have no action…_

MisterChief  
It's about time you showed back up. What were you doing? Hiding from my bad reviews? And no, I will not pardon you for your tardiness. NEVER!  
And on with the review.  
The main problem you've got with this chapter is wooden dialogue. It just didn't sound natural at some points. That's a possible problem. Other than that, there's nothing much that I'm in the mood to complain about at 11 at night.

_FoxMC: Sorry, I could just stop all together…and seriously, no one used wooden golf clubs…_

youngchick27  
Wow, This is so good! I love it! I would have to agree though on some of the other peoples comments though you really do need to work on your grammer. Its really hard to read the story the way its written right now. But other then that its really good. I especially liked the part Ayame kissed Falco. :)

_FoxMC: I like how you spelled grammar._

sandman91  
Holy crap. I can't believe I waited four days before reviewing this. Anyway, nice chapter and keep it up. I don't care how much golf you play as long as you're still able to write.

_FoxMC: Ya, what were you thinking! Oh well, it's no problem. Less golf more writing, yay!_

Death  
ah fox mc nice to have you back i trust your golf game when well  
well i look frowand to you next chapter and by the way don't listen to all this carp from all the people who give you long review most of them are nead's and keep going on and on but hay do as you please  
death out

_FoxMC: You kind of remind me of my old editor what with all your spelling quirks. Oh well, por favor para el reviewo!_


	7. Xantia's Secret, PART 1

In the midst of a vast and seemingly unending plain of wind-swept prairies and fields sat a conspicuously large city, one whose large and imposing edifices directly contradicted the natural beauty that surrounded it. However, this obvious anomaly within the waves of everlasting pasture was the only one in existence on the entire face of the planet. Such was the nature of this city, Estorra, "The City of Endless Plains." Xantia may have a great surface area when compared to the other planets that surrounded it, but even with this being true, it may ironically be one of the loneliest places in the galaxy…

_Maybe that's why this place feels like home to me. It's just like me, wishing to be something more, yet completely secluded from everything around it, even though we have a lot to offer. I guess that's just what I am in this universe, a drifter, and I'll probably be that way for as long as I'm alive. I went to the Academy to become a pilot, but that fell through pretty fast. Then I became a mercenary for that floating head Andross, same result. As far as I can tell, I've wasted the last few years of my life accomplishing absolutely nothing. Maybe I'll just stay here…live out the rest of my pathetic life in a city that's just as hopeless as me._

This scruffy-looking wolf scanned the outskirts of the city with his single good eye, emotionlessly taking in the gently swaying beauty that spread out in front of him. Before he could do so for too long however, he was interrupted from behind by an astute-sounding voice, "You know, if you continually dwell on the past as you always do, you'll never get over being so disheartened all the time."

The formally contemplative animal turned to see an officially dressed and obviously aged echidna looking directly at him. He took no time in providing an unaffected answer, "And you know telling me the same thing over and over like that everyday won't change my past…or even help me forget it for that matter."

This older animal gave off a comforting smile towards the one he addressed, responding shortly after, "Yes, but perhaps you could put aside your worries for one day, surely you know what I am speaking of." The echidna waited a few seconds for a response, but after not receiving anything more than a disaffected stare for a few seconds, he continued on, "Today is the celebration of the legendary Five-Hundred Year Festival."

The wolf shrugged his shoulders indifferently before responding, "And how is some untrue religious ceremony supposed to make me feel better? The day I believe in that Energy of Life crap is the day I suddenly regenerate a new eye."

The echidna was visibly taken aback by this animal's words against Estorra's beliefs, but he continued on in a voice that still held a slight amount of reassurance, "But what if the legends really are true? It is said that one of the many that attend the ceremony of the reappearance of the Otherworldly Gate will be granted a miracle. Perhaps that is exactly the opportunity you need in order to get your life back to what it once was…"

The echidna's voice trailed off as he realized that the one he was speaking to had begun to leave out of disgust. As the wolf continued to walk farther and farther away from the on-looking echidna, he spoke back before fading into the crowd of people that occupied the busy streets of the city, "You can believe whatever you want, I'm not stopping you. But don't count on me being there, cause no matter what might happen, nothing will change my past."

As the sound of the wolf's voice faded from the ears of those around him, he quickly retreated inwardly and continued on in his same negative train of thought.

_The only thing that matters now is accomplishing my mission; it's the only thing I have to live for right now. If I let that fall through…well, that'll put me over the edge, and I might just have to make a special arrangement so that I'll finally get to see what it's like to stare down the barrel of my own blaster. …I never knew it would come to this, but if that's what I have to do to get out of living this crappy life, then that's what I gotta do. I'd like to think there's something to live for but…if there ever was, it happened too long ago to make any difference now._

The wolf hesitated as he found himself now standing in front of a rather modest docking area that was located in the center of the city. He scanned the crowd carefully, knowing that sometime soon, he would rendezvous with his target, but this initial search proved to be in vein. So instead of continuing to purposelessly inspect the surrounding hoard of animals, he took a position within the shadows that this small docking bay provided, and it was there that he would wait until he arrived. And when that instant arose, he would be ready to strike, and this time, he would not fail…not again.

Chapter 7: Xantia's Secret, PART 1

"Well, look who decided to show up. It's the captain and her royal pinkness. Welcome to the docking bay you guys. I don't know if you remember, but we've got some kind of job to take care of down on that planet, and if I'm right, you seemed like you didn't want to mess around on this ship anymore just a little while ago, isn't that right McCloud?"

These words echoed for a short while after both Fox and Katt made their appearance on the docking bay floor. To a casual listener, the avian's words would have seemed quite rude especially considering that this bird was speaking to his captain, but having known the avian for so many years of his like, the vulpine was able to dischipher Falco's sarcasm and reply with not a hint of anger in his voice, "Ya, and that hasn't changed at all Falco."

The avian smirked and responded evenly, "Then lets get on with it then. I've been waiting to give the new Arwings of yours a good workout."

At these words, each head on the docking bay turned towards the four sleek new spacecrafts that sat quietly in the loading area of the room. Not only had the Great Fox been greatly remodeled and upgraded, but so had the Arwings that sat within the massive battleship. They were now much more angular in shape, making them appear much more aerodynamic and impressive than the old, more rounded hull of the previous Arwing model.

This short period of silent observation was broken as Fox spoke in concurrence with the avian, "I know what you mean, those other Arwings had been in service on the Great Fox since my Father was it's captain. It's about time we got some new ships." He paused slightly after saying this to scan the faces of his new crew, as if showing them that the disheartened Fox of the past no longer existed, and that he was ready to lead them to the best of his ability. This pause lasted for only more than a second before the vulpine continued with obvious determination in his voice, "Let's head down to Xantia and test em' out, I've made you guys wait long enough already."

"Just one thing captain." The staid voice of Ayame echoed across the bridge as she spoke these few words, an articulation that merited the attention of everyone that stood around her. The vulpine she was speaking to gave the wolf nothing more than a questioning look, which was enough to spur her on and finish her statement, "If you haven't noticed, there are only four of those Arwings and six of us. So here's the question, who's staying behind, and who's going down to the planet?"

Fox quickly turned away from the face of the wolf towards the Arwings, only to see that what she said was true. After a brief silence, he faced his crew once again and spoke in a slightly uneasy, "Oh, right. Looks like two of us will have to stay on the Great Fox while the other four head down to the planet. Is there anyone that wants to volunteer to stay on the Great Fox?"

Slippy's diffident voice was heard almost immediately after his captain finished, "I'll stay on the ship Fox, then I can help ROB out on the bridge and finish up some of the tests I've been running."

The vulpine nodded in the toad's direction, already knowing that Slippy would volunteer to stay on the Great Fox, and then spoke once again, "Alright, so Slippy will stay behind. Anyone else?"

For a moment, no one made any noise or eye contact with the vulpine. This stillness was broken however as a timid hand rose into the air, the hand of the quiet tiger, Kaya. The vulpine nodded in her direction, asking shortly after he did so, "Do you have a question?"

The tiger's hand quickly lowered as she shook her head. Her face began to fade into a light red color as she spoke quietly in correction of the captain's assumption, "…No, I'll stay too."

Fox hesitated for a second, feeling suddenly guilty for somehow embarrassing this quiet Star Fox member with his words. However, he pushed these feelings aside while speaking with a hint of regret in his voice, "Oh, right. That's fine, you can stay on the Great Fox and help Slippy on the bridge, alright?"

Upon these words, the white-furred tiger nodded silently and turned to the exit of the docking bay, making her way quietly towards its open surface shortly after. Slippy too made his way towards the interior of the ship after seeing Kaya do the same a few moments before himself. Once both of these animals were free from the room and out of sight, the vulpine captain turned to his avian friend and asked in a quieted voice, "Hey Falco, why is Kaya always so quiet? Is there something I should know about her?"

Falco nodded, but then added in a somewhat downcast voice, "Ya, there is something, but I don't think this is the time to talk about it. You can worry about her after we're finished on Xantia; we've got bigger problems to take care of right now."

Fox nodded in concurrence with the avian's comment, speaking soon after doing so, "I guess I'll hold you to that then. For now, let's head out of here and get down to the planet."

Falco let off a smirk at this comment, responding with a hint of enthusiasm, "Right, let's leave this place to Kaya and Slip while we get going with our own business."

It didn't take long after the avian's words that each of the four selected members of the Star Fox mounted their respective Arwings, an action that was followed shortly after by a period of silence as each pilot studied the new control scheme that sat in front of them on their in-ship consol. This process lasted only a few brief seconds however before the sound of blaring engines screamed throughout the Great Fox docking bay. Only seconds after this initial noise made itself present, the ships began to file out from their docks and gently float across the large floor until they found their way out into space through the enormous docking bay door.

For Fox, handling this new model of Arwing seemed to be second nature. The controls of the ship were all made to his exact specifications, and he could not be happier with the results. As the planet below him quickly neared, he found himself pushing this new Arwing to the limit, taking several rapid barrel-rolls and somersaults, just to see how well the ship handled compared to the previous version of this craft. However, his experimentation was cut short as a small light began to blink of the main consol of his Arwing, signaling him of an incoming transmission. He took a moment to center himself, finding that he had become slightly disoriented from his tests, and after successfully doing so, he let the transmission pass, causing the holographic image of a familiar pink feline to appear in front of him.

She spoke shortly after appearing within Fox's vessel, "So, how do you like em'? Personally, I think the controls are a little too tight, maybe it's just me though, I've been out of doing this sort of thing for a while now…"

Fox smiled at the felines comment, responding back in a leisurely voice, "Don't worry about it, you'll be fine. Besides, I think these Arwings are perfect, maybe you're just a little too picky."

"Well, you know what the animals in my line of work are like. I'd hate to think it could be true, but I hope their personalities didn't rub off on me. I'd like to think I'm smart enough to…" The feline's speech was cut off as the transmission signal in Fox's Arwing began to beep one again, signaling of another incoming message. He quickly excused himself from further conversation with the feline before allowing the second transmission to pass. After doing so, the image of Katt quickly disappeared and was replaced by a figure whose identity was hidden by a veil of static. Even though the picture was blurry, he could make out the shape of two pointed ears, a dull gray color that filled the figure's face, and a diminutive smirk that was defined by several sharp teeth. In order to clear the picture, the vulpine quickly tried to find if there was some kind of error in the transmission that was causing this interference, but he soon found that the haziness of the image was actually intended.

It was not long after he realized this interesting fact before a slightly distorted voice made it's way into the small space that the cockpit of his Arwing provided, "So Fox, you really did come. I wasn't sure that you'd make it, seeing as how you've been hiding from the world for some time now. Heh, I guess even the greatest of heroes have their weaknesses."

Fox hesitated only slight after hearing these mysterious words before he spoke back in a questioning tone of voice, "Who are you? And how did you get the transmission codes to the Arwings? Actually, how did you know my name at all?"

A subtle, imprecise chuckle was heard from the other end of the transmission, and when this strange-sounding noise had faded, the figure spoke back to the vulpine in a contented voice, "I guess you'll just have to find that out one you get here, won't you? I'll be waiting for you on Xantia, but you'll probably want to take a few extra precautions after you land here. See, I've been commissioned to take you down, Fox McCloud, and man, I've been waiting for this chance for a long, long time."

_Perfect, the first planet we come to and I'm already getting death threats._

The vulpine exited from his brief thoughts before inquiring further with not a hint of fear in his voice as he spoke, "If it's true that you are supposed to kill me when I got to the planet, why would you tell me ahead of time? Doesn't that ruin the element of surprise?"

The figure spoke back in an apathetic tone of voice, "Element of surprise? Heh, only novices live by that rule. Where's the fun if I just sniped you from the top of some building without you having the chance to fight back? Does that sound like any fun to you McCloud? No, I don't need surprise, but I'm sure you'll figure that out on your own when you find yourself starin' down the barrel of my blaster in some dark, lonely alley. And trust me, I won't show you any mercy, not like that idiot Scales."

"Scales?" The word subconsciously slipped from the vulpine's mouth as soon as he heard it. That name was not one he had heard for over a year, but his memory of what that name meant to him had never been far from his thoughts since that day. It was Scales that led him on the mission that ended in his love's death, and he was grateful to know that he could no longer terrorize the universe as he once had. However, there was one thing that the vulpine could not understand. He made this fact clear as he spoke back in a voice that reflected the surprise that had come from hearing that name, "How do you know Scales? Are you one of his followers that managed to survive?"

A faintly visible smirk broke onto the face of the hazy image before he gave his answer, "I don't see why that matters. All you need to be concerned about is keeping that head of yours on your shoulders while you're on this planet." There was a brief pause in the figure's speech before he finished, "Anyway, you don't need to know anything more than I've already told you. Just be careful and be ready for a fight, I'd hate it if I had to kill you without much of a struggle."

As soon as these words were spoken, the transmission was abruptly ended, and the static-filled image of that mysterious figure disappeared along with the signal, leaving Fox to the silent, star-lit darkness that constantly filled the galaxy. The vulpine let out a quiet sigh and leaned back into his cockpit seat. For a moment, Fox released all control of his Arwing and allowed it to steer on it's own course while he allowed his thoughts to take over.

_Scales, what is that guy's connection to Scales? I know that there weren't many animals that knew about that dinosaur besides my crew and General Pepper. So how exactly can this guy know about Scales? The only option is that he was part of Scales' team or something like that. I mean, Scales did have armies of mind-controlled animals, but there had to be more intelligent animals helping him run things behind the scenes. Maybe this guy is out for revenge since I…we, took him down. That guy did give the same speech about not wanting to kill me easily, so I guess that's the only possibility. I guess I'll meet him soon enough, so any other questions I have are gonna have to wait until then…_

Other than this ominous transmission, the flight down Xantia's surface went smoothly. Once inside the atmosphere, each of the pilots that occupied the four Arwings could see nothing more than a never-ending plain of tall, swaying grass. It took almost a longer time for them to find any type of civilization than it did for them to reach the planet itself from the Great Fox. However, they did eventually come upon a large city, which sat conspicuously within the prairies that surrounded it. Soon after they spotted this, Fox signaled each of his wingmen to land in a small hanger bay that he had picked up on his radar. Upon reaching this modest hangar, the four Arwings floated down through an open hole in the structure's ceiling and were forced shortly after to try and avoid colliding with the many different ships that were already docked there. This task was accomplished with little difficulty, and soon each of the four chosen members of the Star Fox Team found themselves standing on the face of a new planet.

After exiting from their Arwings, the animals came together to form a single group as they walked towards the exit of the hangar bay. The group managed to cause a few animals to stop and look in their direction because of their recent arrival, but there was little commotion otherwise. Upon noticing this, Katt spoke with relief in her voice, "Well, at least we won't have to worry about animals pushing up to us and asking for autographs. I guess this place is just too far out from Corneria for anyone to know who we are."

Fox was the only one who acknowledged this comment with a nod, the other two not finding the same feeling of relief in the fact Katt had just stated. However, Falco was able to reply, but his words were directed towards his captain, "So, we're here…what are we supposed to do now?"

"Well," Fox said as he continued to walk, "I really don't know."

After hearing these words, Falco raised his hands and stopped walking, causing the rest of the group to halt as well, "Woah, hang on Fox. Are you being serious right now? We came all the way out here to the middle of nowhere and you don't even know what we're supposed to be doing?"

Fox nodded in an almost playful manner before speaking in response, "Yep, that's right. But that doesn't mean we're not here for a reason. I think we'll find what we're looking for if we stick around long enough."

Fox was hardly able to finish his statement before Falco turned away from the group and began to walk away, an action that was accompanied by skeptical words, "You mean we'll find what you're looking for, right? I'm not here to be a part of some scavenger hunt Fox, I'm here to fight and meet women, so if neither of those are happening, I'll just get back to the ship and outta your way."

There was a silence after Falco spoke these words, one that was interfered only by the gentle background noise of the small hangar. As Falco continued to walk back towards his Arwing, Ayame turned to Fox as she spoke flatly, "I'm gonna have to agree with Falco on this one. If there's no mission to be had down here, what was the point of even stopping at this planet? We'll be waiting for you on the Great Fox until you figure that out."

Fox could do nothing more than shake his head in subdued frustration as half of his landing team walked away from him.

_Wow, that didn't take long. I knew they were impatient, but…_

He knew that after informing the now retreating animals that his mission here was unclear, there would be little point in trying to dissuade them from the decision they had just made.

After this, he turned to Katt, his last remaining crewmember, and asked in an almost joking voice, "So, are you gonna leave me down here by myself or what?"

The feline flashed a brief smile before speaking back to the vulpine, "Nah, I can't leave you down here by yourself. Even if you don't know what you're supposed to be doing, I trust you enough to know that you're not trying to waste our time by stopping on this planet."

After hearing these words, Fox let out a sigh that contained both the frustration and relief he was feeling at that moment. He certainly did not want to be alone on the planet without any kind of help, especially since he himself did not know the dangers that might await him on this planet, but he was also glad that only one member of his crew was now placed in this potential danger. If he had his way from the start, he would have been the only one to leave the Cornerian Docking Bay. However, he soon after found himself quite grateful for his friends devotion, but after the display both Falco and Ayame had put on, he began to wonder just how strong that devotion was.

The vulpine broke from this momentary reflection shortly after it started in order to speak back to Katt, doing so with a smile that matched the feline's, "Good, then we should head into town, find out what it is we need to do here, get that done, and then leave as soon as possible."

The feline's smile seemed to widen as she heard these words, a gesture that was followed shortly after by her words, "Wow, how long did it take you to come up with that plan Foxboy?"

Fox shook his head as he began to walk further from the Arwings, speaking as he did so, "You'd be amazed what a little death threat can do to a guy, ya know? Kinda speeds up his thinking process a little bit."

Katt only paused for the moment it took for her to catch up to Fox's current pace before she spoke in response to the vulpine's statement, "Wait…death threats? What are you talking about McCloud? When did you…"

"Greetings travelers, and welcome to our humble city, Estorra, 'The City of Endless Plains.'"

These words forced Katt to stop mid-sentence, and it caused both of the animals to look in the direction of an approaching echidna, one that seemed to be dressed as if he were one of the higher-ranking rulers of the planet, and by the appearance of his face, he certainly had the age to accomplish such a ranking.

This echidna continued slowly toward the pair until he stood only a few short feet away, which is where he stopped and took the opportunity to continue speaking, "You are most fortunate to come to out planet at such a time. All of Xantia will be out to celebrate the festival, and I want to be sure that you don't miss out."

Both animals paused as they heard these words, neither really knowing what to say to the aged echidna, but Fox managed to break the extended silence as he spoke, "Well thanks, I'm sure it's a great festival, but we've got more important things to do here."

The echidna quickly countered with the same pleasant demeanor, "My friends, surely there is nothing more important than your participation in this festival. It's quite a time-honored tradition on this planet, and I must encourage you to..."

"You really need to stop badgering the tourists old man, you'll scare them away. I'm sure they didn't come here to listen to some old man pressure them into showing up at some festival."

All three animals turned towards this sudden voice to see the smiling face of what appeared to be a middle-aged gray wolf heading in their direction. Despite his words, he actually wore a rather good-natured expression upon his face as he drew near. The echidna momentarily forgot about the feline and vulpine that stood in front of him as he began to speak to this newly appeared wolf, "And I'm sure your negative connotations are exactly what these good animals want to hear after their long journey here?"

The wolf smiled in response to the echidna, but did not speak back to him. Instead, he faced the two Star Fox team members that stood before him and spoke in a keen voice, "Please excuse the old man, he can get a little fanatical sometimes. I'm sure once you get to that age…"

The wolf's words quickly faded into the back of Fox's mind as his eyes dutifully scanned this newly arrived animal. He subtly continued on in this fashion as his thoughts took hold.

_This wolf…he seems so familiar, but how could I have seen him before? I've never been to this planet…or really heard of it at all for that matter. But something about this guy…he looks kind of like…Wolf. But that can't be. I know he went down in that fight over Venom, but…_

Fox was quickly cut off from his thoughts as he noticed the outstretched hand of the wolf hovering in front of him. The vulpine wasted no time in accepting it, hoping that the wolf had not noticed his inattentiveness as he had been speaking. The vulpine's hopes were realized as the gray and white furred animal let off a smile as a result of his accepted offer, and he spoke in a voice that matched his expression soon after, "The name's Klyph, Klyph O' Donnell. Let me be the second to welcome you to Xantia."

Fox, as well as Katt, who also seemed to be thinking along very similar lines to the vulpine, were taken aback as soon as they heard that name. This time, Fox vocalized his thoughts instead of keeping them to himself, "Klyph O' Donnell, that's what you said, right? …Do you, by any chance, know someone named Wolf O' Donnell?"

Besides the initial surprise the wolf experienced by these outsiders having knowledge of that name, the wolf wasted little time in voicing a response, "Know him? Well, you could say that. He's my younger brother."

As if on cue, both Fox and Katt spoke out at the same time in the same surprised tone of voice, "He's…your brother?"

-

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Word. You know what I'll say. "I've been golfing, I have to get ready for college, I'm not inspired enough." Since you assume that much already, I won't point out the obvious. Well, I really did want to get this whole story done before college, but ya, that didn't work out so well. So guess what? I'll still keep chippin' away at this thing until it's done, you can be sure of that. I just…can't guarantee when that's gonna be. Right, so just don't lose faith, alright?

RANDOM NOTES: Well, I'm in college now, so, umm…slow updates upcoming? Don't get mad…just pretend it's a really…really long cliffhanger that you keep pondering and pondering until the next chapter is released…that's not very encouraging but…that's how it is. And check it out, Star Fox Command made me mad! For a lot of reasons...but the biggest one is a little guy name Marcus...Anyway, to those I told I'd post this chapter on Monday...I did! Just really late on Monday...like 10 min before Tuesday. Stupid dorm meetings...

MAIL CALL: I haven't done this in a while…but since I'm in a time crunch right now, I'll only pick a few out of the couple I got for last chapter. Who will the lucky few be? Well, let's find out…

SPG inc.  
Sorry, I meant shrine  
But MAN I'm getting depressed now. Does everyone have to suffer in every fic I read?

_FoxMC: Yes, all fics must contain sadness, sorry, that's just how it is. Unless it's comedy, but you don't see many of those on the Star Fox boards…_

Nin10col a.k.a KLink  
I'm sorry for the long review in advance, but I've been waiting to say this scince I started reading EotF. (I didn't have an account then)  
Echoes of the future and A Journey Apart: Best StarFox fanfics ever. No contest.  
Awesome! 2 Chapters in the same week? Good to see you get back on the ol' horse.  
You wrote Chapter 6 so well I could FEEL the tension on the bridge.  
Keep it up!

_FoxMC: Ya, I feel off that horse pretty quickly though…oh well. And dude, that review wasn't long…just look at Fox the Cave's review. I can't get through half of that without falling asleep…_

sandman  
Another nice chapter. You know, I just have to say one thing. Ever since I joined fanfiction, you have been my number one favorite writer. I'll admit, there is a close second, but you're still my favorite. Keep it up.

_FoxMC: Well, the fact that I never update anymore may be a reason…or that my excuses for doing so never get any better…_

fox's alter ego  
i shall be your new faithful reviewer yay just so you know yesterday i started and finished echoes of the future loved it and now im reveiwing this (my eyes hurt by the way).n e way if you dont keep updating soon enough the starfox gods will trap you in a little room and make you wright forever muahahaha o and you are one of my 2 fav authors I AM NOT WORTHY!

_FoxMC: Dang, well, they haven't got me yet, so I guess I'm good._

The Silent Wanderer  
Yeah, I really, really hope you never pull that stunt again... Oh, and by the way, I also share your enthusiasm for Kingdom Hearts 2. I sincerely hope that you continue this story frequently and without delays such as this. And, even though you just revealed a bit about it in this chapter, and you'll probably explain it later, when you gonna talk about Kaya's past? Well... I should probably get back to my own story... Forgot all about it until I got the story alert from this story... So... Yeah. 'Till next time, Later.

_FoxMC: Heh, so much for fast updates. I'm such a loser…anyway. Kaya will be revealed more later, but Fox has his own, more prevalent problems to take care of first!_

qaz-wert  
All right! What's it been...more than six months! I've read both your stories, but haven't left many reviews. However...(ahem)  
I hereby swear allegiance to Fox MC and his uber-awexome story. I also hope he will take me into the innermost sanctum of MC honor by adding this post to the Mail Call section.

_FoxMC: Well lucky you, you made it into the MAIL CALL section. Doesn't that just brighten your day? …Anyway, I don't know how long it was between putting this chapter up until this one, but it was too long, for sure…_

Whinnie  
Wow! Sorry I haven't been with you these last few chapters, but I haven't been checking into the Star Fox fanfic area cuz of no updates. T.T Well, anyway, great work! Very nice:) Very angsty, and I can't wait till they check out Xantia! -  
Once again, great job! ;)

_FoxMC: Where you the one I forgot to add to Mail Call that one time? I think so, so I am here to apologize. SORRY! Ok, so ya, you probably left the site again because of no updates, but that had to be done._

FoxSF  
Love it! keep writing. I'm so freakin' tired of good authors like you starting a great story and than leaving it to die in the dust. You're awesome.

_FoxMC: Oh ya! I would never do something like that! I would never make people wait upwards of 5 months for a new chapter, never! …_

KrystalMC  
:o FoxMC is back! Good to see ya fox! I thought this story had become a lost cause but obviously you decided to continue with it. Can't wait for the next chapter

_FoxMC: Dang, I hope this story doesn't become a lost cause…I want to see how it ends myself!_

tma205  
I love this story so much! I never thought I would read a Starfox story so well written! I can't wait for the next chapter!

_FoxMC: Thanks, just don't try and take after my updating habits…they are not good._


	8. Xantia's Secret, PART 2

Chapter 8: Xantia's Secret, PART 2

_Ahh…Once again I am given the honor of convening with the renowned Star Fox Team. I would never have dreamed I would get such a chance so soon after last meeting them. Though it is indeed a shame that my beloved vixen will no longer be onboard. Yet, from the stories I have been hearing as of late, the Star Fox Team has recruited several more…prospects that may spark my interest. I can hardly bear this anticipation._

It was almost precisely after he had concluded his thoughts that the Great Fox came into sight, nothing more than a speck of metal in the distance. An eager smirk appeared on his dark face as he saw this. He then appropriately adjusted the controls to his ship; a sleek fighter, similar in exterior to the Arwing, but colored entirely black, spare the depiction of a vibrant, red rose on both sides of the cockpit. "They'll be picking me up on their scanners soon. I wonder who it is that will initiate the transmission? Fox himself? Or perhaps I will be graced by the presence of one of his lovely subordinates…"

The feline's words lingered within the cockpit of his ship for a few moments with no hint of a response, but as he predicted, a light on his in-ship consol lit up, alerting him of an incoming transmission. He quickly and enthusiastically let the transmission pass, an action that was followed shortly after by the appearance of a small, holographic image of a young tiger's head.

The hologram spoke in a timid voice, "This is the Great Fox…requesting identification."

_Well, it seems I'm in luck. A beautiful feline has appeared before me. I would do well to make a positive first impression… _

"This is Panther Caroso of the Cornerian Special Forces Cruiser, Ladekahn IV. Second in command, if I may add. And who might you be, my striped beauty?"

The tiger hesitated for a long moment upon hearing these words, responding shortly after in a voice that easily made known the fact that Panther's words had made her quite uncomfortable, "…K-Kaya Aurion."

After those awkwardly posed words, nothing could be heard between the two animals. Panther didn't seem to mind that moment, however, as he was able to look over the feline's face for a few, uninterrupted moments.

_Well, it seems my words have somewhat rendered this marvelous beauty quite speechless. It's not hard to believe that, with an impressive rank and my irresistible looks, a girl could be wooed so easily. I would do well to take advantage of the situation as it presents itself. …Yet, as much as pains me, my business should and must come first, lest my superiors grow more impatient with me than they already have. Although, I may know of a way to combine the two of…_

"…have been cleared to enter." The tiger's voice, which had presumably been present for several moments prior, interrupted the thoughts of Panther Caroso, forcing him to quickly return to reality, at least, quickly enough so that he could respond without taking an inconsiderate amount of time to do so.

"Ahh, yes. Thank you my dear. I am very much looking forward to seeing you soon. …As well as the rest of the crew, I suppose."

-

"So…sounds like you've run into my brother a time of two during your career, huh? Well, he's hated you since his Academy days, doesn't surprise me."

Klyph's smirk was the only thing that remained after his words faded from within the room. Fox only nodded at this, already having told the O'Donnell that sat in front of him how he knew his younger brother. Instead of responding, he could not help but let his eyes wonder around the room he now found himself sitting within.

Klyph had taken both he and Katt from the Docking Bay to his apartment so they could get away from the noise of the docking bay. It was a large space, filled with many types of modern decorations, and the furniture that sparsely populated the area seemed to perfectly compliment them. Fox and Katt sat on a couch that faced another, which was placed opposite of them. In this couch their host was seated, and between them sat a well-crafted mahogany coffee table. However, the immediate surroundings were not what was catching Fox's attention; rather, it was the walls that encompassed the room. They were completely comprised of glass, giving the room's occupants an unrivaled view of the city no matter where they stood. For a short while, he couldn't help but to gaze through the clear surface and examine the buildings that sat outside, but Fox was quickly brought back to the conversation at hand as Klyph spoke once again.

"Anyway, what brings the Star Fox team all the way out here? Some war going on that I should know about?"

"No, nothing like that…" Fox's voice trailed off, not sure how much he should reveal to this complete stranger.

"So what is it then? I'm sure Corneria doesn't send out their best for nothing."

"We're on an important mission," Fox started, not sure where he was going exactly, but he managed to think of a fitting term that wasn't too specific, "Search and Rescue."

"Huh." Klyph paused for a moment, as if not satisfied with the answer, before continuing on, "And you think you'll find what you're looking for in a place like this?"

Fox nodded, "Yes, I do think so. I was…given a pretty strong lead that we should stop here at Xantia."

A brief chuckle suddenly rose from beside Fox, a noise that was followed by characteristically sarcastic words, "Besides that, we're not running on much; just his instinct. That's the part that worries me."

Klyph gave off a brief laugh as Fox merely sat and watched, having come to be so familiar with her style of communication. "Heh, well, if you're looking for help, I don't know what I can do for you two. But ya know, there is one thing I can think of that might…"

The wolf's voice trailed off as the sound of an opening door interrupted his words. All heads in the room turned towards a female wolf, who was dressed professionally in a black business suit. She hesitated at the door for a moment, having suddenly found herself the center of attention, but she quickly pushed this initial feeling of surprise as Klyph spoke to her.

"Oh, hey Shaara. Back from work already?"

The wolf let out a complacent sigh, "Thankfully, yes. My client was already convinced he liked the property, so getting him to sign the papers was all that needed to be done. It's been a long time since I've been able to…"

The wolf cut herself off as she suddenly noticed the two members of Star Fox that sat before her.

"Oh, excuse me. I didn't mean to ramble on like that." She fidgeted slightly before speaking in Klyph's direction, "I didn't know we'd have visitors today, I would have cleaned up a bit before I left."

Klyph shook his head, "Don't worry about it, you always keep this place spotless. Anyway, I guess we should get on with the introductions, huh?"

Taking his feet next to Shaara, Klyph did the honors, "Fox, Katt, I'd like you to meet my wife, Shaara."

Both Fox and Katt stood as the wolf approached with her hand outstretched, in turn, taking both of their hands in her own and giving them a gentle shake in meeting.

As this was going on, Klyph spoke to Shaara in a matter-of-factly voice, "These two are members of the Star Fox team. They've saved the universe a time or two, so I figured I'd invite em' over here and help them with their mission."

Shaara withdrew slightly from Fox and Katt as she finished greeting them, now speaking in a flattered voice, "My, really? The famous Star Fox team? Well, it's certainly an honor to meet you both." Her initial surprise seemed to fade quickly, however, as she asked shortly after, "But here? And on a mission? Is our planet in some sort of danger?"

Fox shook his head and spoke back quickly in a comforting voice, "Don't worry, your planet is fine. We're not here on that kind of mission; we're here to find someone."

"Right," Klyph interjected, keeping his other half from making any sort of immediate remark. "And we're both gonna help em' out, alright Shar? I don't think we'll have any problem finding this animal their looking for…if everything works out."

Katt raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Oh really? I'm guessing you have a pretty decent plan to go off of if your willing to say that. Care to explain it to us?"

The wolf smirked, "Of course. It's pretty simple, actually. A one step plan. No fights, no searches, no negotiations…how's that sound to you?"

The pink feline sighed, "It sounds like your full of crap…but I'm still listening."

"Good," Klyph began with a chuckle, motioning towards the door to his apartment before continuing on, "Just follow me and I'll explain on the way. The Five-Hundred Year Festival isn't gonna wait for us, ya know."

-

_My, such a stunning ship this is. Much better than what they were traveling in a year ago. I swear, having your best mercenaries flying around in such an atrociously outdated ship is insulting…but I suppose if the good Captain was satisfied with it, it makes little…Oh, are those footsteps I hear? Come Panther, don't let your thoughts stray like this, it's quite unbecoming. And besides, I would hate it if I were to make a negative impression on the ship's crew. Heheh, my attitude of absolute chivalry is quite ironic, I must say._

The sound of footsteps echoing from just outside the docking bay slowly became louder, and the black feline prepared himself for a reunion with the beauty in the transmission. He found himself, however, to be immediately disappointed.

"Lieutenant Panther Caroso, Second in Command of the Ladekahn IV…identified."

He stammered under his breath in reply to the robot that had just entered into the room, "W-well, I suppose I expected too much. Captain McCloud really should make his visitors feel more…invited."

As he watched the robot come closer, it once again spoke to him in a monotone voice, "Panther Caroso, request to report to Great Fox Bridge immediately. Escort, Slippy Toad, will arrive shortly."

"…Thank you." The words slipped out of his mouth without much thought, after all, there was no use wasting his words and courtesy on this robot. The feline merely stood and watched in silence as his greeter purposefully walked throughout the interior of the docking bay.

ROB made his way to the four now vacant docks that had previously housed the ships Arwings and did a quick yet thorough check-up on each of them.

"Docking stations: no required maintenance." His robotic voice clanged uncomfortably throughout the area, as it had for so many years before. After making the results of his tests verbally known, he suddenly moved towards the only ship that remained within the docking bay. Raising his hand to the surface of Panther's craft, he managed to get a complete readout of the vessel through a discreet scanner imbedded in his metallic palm. For a moment, the robot made no other movements, his processors taking in all the new information about this newly arrived ship. However, this period of brief silence was cut short as something of a quiet alarm sounded from within ROB himself, one that accompanied by a quickly blinking red light that emanated from both his shoulders.

"Warning, Warning: Ship Class identified. Current model is in use within the mercenary group: Star Wolf. Enemy ship detected…Communications with bridge and Captain McCloud, commenci…"

ROB's voice faded immediately from the room and gave way to the sound of two rapid blaster shots. After an abruptly violent flash of sparks and shorting circuits, ROB fell to the ground with a loud crash, both his head and chest pierced by the lasers that had just passed through.

Holstering his blaster back at his side, Panther walked over towards the now defunct robot and stood over him, looking down upon the pile of sparking metal with a smug grin, "So sorry, but I simply couldn't allow you to ruin my plans. Having myself revealed so soon would have been a complete disaster, you see? Now, about moving this pile of garbage…"

Panther looked around the bridge for something to conceal his mess, but seeing as how there was actually deceptively little held within the confines of the large and spacious docking bay, he merely created a small pile of scrap behind his own ship, hoping that no one would be lucky enough to come across it. His fighter was near enough to the wall of the docking bay that no one would have a reason to do so in the first place, leaving him quite satisfied with his work.

It was just as he had finished throwing ROB aside that a timid-looking Slippy rounded the corner and entered into the docking bay. The mechanic hesitated rather awkwardly after he did so, however, as Panther flashed a pleasant smile in the toad's direction as he walked away from his ship, speaking briefly as he did so, "Ahh, it seems my escort has finally arrived."

Slippy took a step back in surprise, almost as if he had not seen Panther there at all. However, the toad quickly gathered himself as best he could before he spoke back, not in response, but rather in inquiry, "Did something just happen in here? I thought I heard…a blaster. …Did you hear anything?"

"A blaster?" Panther started in a suave tone, leaving no evidence in either his voice or expression that could have given him away, "Why, no, I did not."

Slippy stood silent and continued to scan the room with his eyes, not really buying into the feline's words.

Noticing this, Panther quickly took steps to prevent the toad from becoming too curious, "At any rate, shouldn't we be making our way up to the bridge? That is your job after all, is it not?"

"Oh…ya." Slippy said absent-mindedly, having seemed to confuse himself with his sudden feeling of distrust towards his guest. However, in typical fashion, the toad waved off this feeling in favor of going along with standard procedure, not willing to take the risk of having his suspicions to be proven incorrect. "It's this way."

Panther nodded in acknowledgement as he walked past Slippy and rounded into the corridor that sat outside the docking bay. Seeing this, Slippy remained still for a few moments, scanning the room once more, still not feeling sure about what he had or had not heard just a few moments ago. However, with a quiet sigh, he discontinued his brief search and walked free of the docking bay.

For a majority of the time they were making the trip from the docking bay to the Great Fox bridge, neither of the animals spoke to the other. Never before had they formally met, besides their rather discomfited meeting in the docking bay, and it was there that it had become instantly established the two did not trust the other. Even despite his rather social nature, Panther restrained himself from opening up into conversation, feeling that it might stray onto a topic that he did not wish to discuss, such as…

"Umm…I've been wondering. What are you doing here, Panther?"

The feline looked down towards the toad with a pleasant face, despite the surprise he felt from being asked this question, "What? Do I need an excuse to see my good friends of…how long has it been? Over a year now?"

"Oh…no," Slippy started, his voice fading into it's standard timid pitch as he continued, "But ya know, Fox is down on Xantia right now…so are the rest of them."

Panther's even gaze filled with a glimpse of surprise, "Oh, is that so? Well, my timing seems to have failed me. I suppose I'll just have to wait for them to show. Is that alright with…"

Slippy cut in, his voice suddenly sturdy as something seemed to click within his mind, "Wait, that ship you flew in on…it's not from the Ladekahn IV, is it? No ships used for official purposes can be decorated like yours."

Panther smirked, "Why, of course that's not a craft from the Ladekahn…it's my own personal craft. Why do you ask?"

"I've seen that ship design before. …It hasn't changed much since nine years ago."

The feline shook his head in confusion, "Nine years ago? What is it that you're getting at with all this?"

Slippy froze in place as all the pieces began to fall into place in his busy mind. He looked up at Panther, and with fear rising in his eyes, he spoke uneasily, "Y-You're part of Star Wolf…aren't you? I-I have to tell Fox!"

However, the toad was barely able to finish speaking these words before the side of his green, rounded head was forcefully met with the foot of Panther Caroso, an action that sent the defenseless mechanic rolling across the cold, metallic floor of the Great Fox for several feet before coming to an abrupt stop against a wall, the impact rendering him instantly unconscious.

Looking at the now bleeding face of Slippy Toad, Panther smirked and let out a brief chuckle, "This is the price one must pay when they get too curious…you would do well to learn that lesson, my green friend. Now…"

Turning his attention away from the toad that lay crumpled to the side, he looked down the hallway and noted two large doors sitting at the far end. "That's what I was looking for…the bridge, I presume. Thank you so much for your assistance Slippy Toad, now I can claim my prize without resistance."

"Star Wolf will have it's captive back. Really…you never had a chance at escaping from him, Kaya Aurion."

-

Dusk had begun to descend on the city of Estorra as Klyph and those following him made their way towards the festival. It was an idyllic twilight, with the sky blazing with different colors of orange and red, colors that seemed to perfectly compliment the surrounding plains, as well as the city itself. It was something that deserved to be more closely appreciated, especially by the two in the group that rarely had time to admire such simple beauties, but their present task far outweighed time for such trivial matters.

As they walked along, they noticed a gradual increase in the number of animals walking the streets. When they had initially left Klyph's apartment building, there were only a few scattered animals here and there, which slowly turned into animals walking in small groups, then in larger clusters, all the way until they found themselves interspersed within a festive and enthusiastic throng of thousands.

It was quite a unique spectacle, with entertainers occupying whatever space they could find among the crowds, amusing them with dancing or displays of musical prowess. Along with them were numerous booths and stands that took up the remaining space on the sidewalks, each of which had a least one shouting vendor proclaiming incredible sales on all their most exotic items. The only thing that seemed to be missing here were ornate lights, but, as if it were planned, the fading rays of the sun made quite sufficient and dramatic lighting as it reflected its many colors off the windows that sat upon the buildings that contained the crowds of animals.

Cutting them off from further observation, Klyph spoke back to Fox and Katt in an amused voice, "Well, it does only happen once every five hundred years, ya know. It's gonna be a pretty big deal."

"Oh, stop it Klyph," Interjected Shaara, noticing that her other half had interrupted the appreciative silence that had enveloped the group, at the same time causing both members of the Star Fox team to remove themselves from pleasant observation of the spectacle around them, "Let them enjoy themselves. I doubt being a member of the Star Fox team leaves them with much time to relax like this. Isn't that right, Fox?"

Shaking his head, Fox responded, "Don't worry about it, traveling the universe and seeing places like this has always been…"

Cutting him off, Klyph spoke with a chuckle, "Heh, I wouldn't call what you guys do for a living 'travel.' Risking your lives every day to protect everyone in the galaxy, sounds a little less than relaxing to me."

"Speaking of which, I think someone said he had a plan to help us with that part about saving the galaxy," insisted Katt, who had grown slightly impatient with the sudden small talk that had been going on.

The wolf nodded his head, "Forget about that, look at where you are. Chances of you living too see this again are pretty slim. Besides, I'll have plenty of time to explain my plans to you later."

The expression on both Katt and Fox's face fell slightly at hearing these words, but they said nothing to counter it.

Klyph smiled, "We've got a while till' our real business here starts, so why don't I let you both go for now? You've had enough of me leading you around I'm sure. Look around, have a good time and we'll meet back here at around sundown. Sound good?"

Fox gave an undetectable shrug of his shoulders before speaking in a mellow voice, "Alright, we'll expect to see you then. Hopefully we don't get lost in these crowds."

"Don't worry about that. By the time we meet, the crowds will be thin and you'll find your way easy enough," spoke Klyph, who knowledgably scanned over the pandemonium.

"You both enjoy yourselves now." Shaara added cheerfully as she turned to leave, "In the stories we hear about festivals past, there's supposed to be some kind of mystical force that surrounds this event that is said to bring young couples closer together. Isn't that so beautiful?"

Klyph spoke back to his wife immediately after she had finished, preventing either members of the Star Fox team from doing the same, "Hey, come on Shaara. You're gonna embarrass them both talking about stuff like that. We better leave before you make things anymore awkward here."

With a smile, Klyph waved as he and Shaara began to walk away, the later of them giving the other a rather forceful blow to the shoulder as she retaliated, "Let's not start our day off like this, please."

For a few seconds, there was only silence between the two animals as they watched their guides fade into obscurity within the massive crowds that occupied the city streets. Fox, however, was the one to break this quiet as he looked over to Katt, "So much for the 'mystical force' bringing animals closer together."

Belaying himself only to allow for an apathetic chuckle from his teammate, Fox continued on as he senselessly looked about the chaos that surrounded them, "Alright, so I guess we have some exploring to do. Heading down the main street should be a good place to start."

"Right, and I'm assuming you brought along the bulldozer we'd need to get through that mess." Responded Katt, her eyes focusing on the overflowing area Fox had suggested.

The vulpine nodded his head, "Good point. Let's just look around here then. Seems like there's enough to keep us busy for…"

"Fox…Fox McCloud."

Surprised to hear his name called among the overpowering noise that rose from the surrounding crowds, Fox's attention wandered for a short while before it settled on a small, very ornate stand that sat a short distance, within which stood a short, haggard-looking woman that was staring straight at him.

"That old hag over there, did she just say your name?" asked Katt, who had apparently also heard the voice. Upon receiving a slight nod as response from her captain, she continued on observantly, "With the way that stand is decorated, I wouldn't be surprised if she was some kind of psychic. She did know your name, right?"

"So do a lot of animals."

Katt let off a slight smirk, "Come on, this could be fun. Let's go over there and see what the old fart wants with you."

In his mind he wanted to decline, but he himself could not help but be curious as to how she knew his name, despite the fact that he was completely shielded by animal bodies when she called it out. With a slight amount of hesitance in his step, he and Katt made their way towards the mysterious woman.

Soon after finding themselves before the tent, as it could be more accurately described, it was easy to see that this was, indeed, a place intended for spiritual practice, as was made clear by the predominantly purple color scheme and drapes, accompanied by several pieces of calmly burning incense.

"Fox McCloud, yes. I knew you would come; I saw it in a dream many nights ago." The woman, who was, upon closer inspection, a heavily garbed raccoon, feebly spoke. You could tell from one look that the years had not been easy on her, as her ripened face bore signs of severe wrinkling and several age spots.

Fox rather disregarded what had just been said and instead posed a question, "How do you know my name?"

A smile creaked onto her façade, "I see many things in my dreams…sometimes in visions. They start as nothing, just ideas and associations. But suddenly, they take shape…are given forms, color, personalities…until the final product is made clear. Yes, it is rare that these products of my mind are given names, but yours was, Fox McCloud. You bear a heavy load, don't you…?

Not convinced of what she was saying, Fox merely continued to give her his attention, which was indication enough for her to continue her mystic explanation, "You have been made famous by your past actions, yes? You have saved more animals than there are stars in the sky, and in return, you are a great hero to them all. However, you have been through much pain as a result. Lost many who where dreadfully close to you, you have. Because of this, you hid your very existence from the universe, but the choice to do something about that exact pain has finally been made. …Am I correct, Fox McCloud?"

After absorbing all she had said, Fox gave a her an expression that was mixed of both surprise and suspicion, "Ya…that sounds about right, but…"

"Yes, yes, but you do not yet know how to exact that pain. But I know this, and if it is your desire, I may help you."

Fox grew further suspicious, "Are you saying that you can see the future, too?"

With a frail nod, the old raccoon continued, "Indeed, Fox McCloud. I am able to help you on your journey by those very means. Would you allow me to peer into the mist that lies ahead and clear your path?"

"How do I know this is real…?"

It was almost instantly after Fox had said these words that Katt grabbed him by the arm to get his attention before speaking in an amused voice, "Come on, don't be such a skeptic Fox. She knew your name and she nailed the story of your past. Just give it a shot, for the heck of it."

It came after a moment of very noticeable hesitance eyes, but the vulpine eventually nodded in agreement, "Fine. Maybe I really could learn something useful here."

Katt released his arm and instead gave him an ardent pat on the back, "That'a boy."

"Most Excellent, yes. Please follow me behind the shade, Fox McCloud; for it is in darkness I will reveal light."

With those rather clichéd, yet mysterious words, Fox was led to an area a few feet away that was completely surrounded by the same purple drapes that comprised the entire stand, which was filled with darkness as they both entered into it. Inside this rather small area, there were several small, fragrant candles burning, some being located at different heights thanks to the placement of many discreet, purple shelves supported by the fabric that fell from above them.

However, the most concentrated number of candles and decorations sat plainly in the middle of the shelter, where a short table stood. On opposing sides of the circular, veiled table sat two undersized stools, one of which the old woman readily sat upon as she urged Fox to do the same, "Quickly, sit, Fox McCloud. I sense your destiny is eager to make itself known to you."

The vulpine did as the medium instructed, his eyes still taking in the unfamiliar and rather peculiar environment that he found himself within. Even seated, his eyes continued to wander around until he had somewhat familiarized himself with the area before turning his attention to the old raccoon. As he did so, the psychic's sagging eyes locked onto Fox's with a sudden gleam of intensity. It was a look that seemed to change the entire atmosphere within the small, enclosed area, and as much as he wanted to, Fox simply could not find it within himself to look away. Even as Fox's features hinted at rapidly growing uneasiness, she merely continued to stare, her eyes seeming to hunger insatiably for his. The raccoon's piercing gaze held his for several more seconds before she suddenly and finally blinked, falling back into her chair slightly as she did so.

With a deep sigh, she confessed in a heavy voice, "Oh, I'm sorry. You're eyes are…so captivating. They tell an extraordinary story…the likes of which even I could never have dreamed. Great pain, triumphant joy, unthinkable sadness, unyielding love, surreal hatred, conflicting doubts. To have everything, then nothing; to give your life and receive nothing in return, this is what defines you, Fox McCloud. But for all of that to be conveyed so clearly through your eyes alone…"

Having eased his formerly tense posture, Fox had listened to the women's words with interest, but merely commented with a nod as he slowly allowed himself to believe that, based on the fact she seemed to know so much about him by supposedly looking into his eyes, there may be some merit to his acceptance of this old raccoon's clairvoyant help.

"But please, my work does not lie within such eyes. Close them now, and open instead to me your mind. Concentrate on what you know, what you feel, and what you want to accomplish. Among all of these things, we will find the unseen path that you must follow."

Before he did so, Fox managed to see the raccoon gradually stand from her stool and stretch her arms straight above her, hands outstretched and head tilted up towards both. Assuming this was part of the routine, Fox slowly brought his eyelids together, an action that was immediately followed by the sound of feint, rather eerie chanting. It was a somber melody, comprised of almost solely low notes, but about every six or seven undistinguishable syllables, the psychic's voice abruptly rose, almost making it seem like she was shouting when compared to the majority of the spiritual composition. Despite the irregularity of the chant, however, it seemed to give Fox a sense of calm. The psychic's song allowed him to clear his mind, and in so doing, he was able to more fully concentrate on the things she had mentioned.

The old raccoon continued on in this manner for several more moments, before her melody faded from the room, and her course voice took it's place, "Yes, that's wonderful, Fox McCloud. Your mind is clear. Your thoughts, concentrated. I can see images starting to form, slowly they come to me." She paused for a moment, "Hmm, yes. I can see it all too well. The path is indeed covered by a deep fog, but as I move closer to it, I can slowly see more. …There ahead, a form. I sense it is an old friend, perhaps an enemy. Whichever it is, there he stands, staring back at me in shadow. Wait…he's beckoning me to come closer…closer…closer still…"

As she went on, her voice seemed to indicate the closing of distance between Fox and herself. This trivial fact, however, went unnoticed by Fox, who assumed it was part of the psychic's ritual.

Suddenly halting her subtle advance, the haggard woman continued, "Yes, his image is clearing. A voice…yes, I can hear it. So faint, but it is there. Oh yes. He says one phrase, a few simple words, and then it…repeats. Very important these words must be. I must approach him further to understand…"

Her words trailed off into a whisper, as distance closed almost to the point of contact. Completely unaware, Fox concentrated hard on the voice of the psychic, finding her words to be extremely compelling.

With a light chuckle, she continued, "Finally, the shadow has lifted. The voice, clear. Battle scarred and smug, he stares at me. The face of a great leader, indeed. At his side, he clenches his fist, and gives me a ferocious glare. Something is amiss here, no longer do I sense friendship, but instead, gruesome hatred. His mouth opens once more, his words, I hear them clearly now. Yes…so very clearly. He says…"

Her words seem to freeze in the air as she trailed off. Fox was tempted to open his eyes to see what had happened, but quickly repressed such thoughts, as he was absolutely captivated and spellbound by the psychic's cryptic fortune.

Quietly lowering her hand inside of her robe, she revealed a small, liquid-filled container, one that contained a very distinct quality; that being a short, narrow needle that protruded from one end. Suddenly out of the pensive quiet, her voice returned, only this time it was tinted with an unsuspected tone of anger, "His voice…The Wolf. He says, 'Kill Fox McCloud.'"

Fox's ears perked up at these words, and on instinct, took a blind swing to the side towards her voice. Feeling the rough contact against his closed fist, he quickly stood and looked over towards the now madly grinning old woman. With a maniacal laugh, she turned to run, but being her age, she was not able to advance more than a few short steps before the vulpine leveled her with a swift kick to the back of the head, rendering her unconscious as she slammed into the unforgiving pavement beneath her.

Fox looked down towards the old woman with disbelief as he tried to compose himself.

_How could I fall for something like that? I knew right from the beginning that this whole thing could not have been real…and then for it to turn into a murder attempt? I can't believe it. Could this have something to do with the transmission I received on the way down to this planet? That makes sense, I wouldn't think anyone on this planet would have a reason to kill me. That's gotta be it. The animal behind that transmission is the one who…who set this…_

The vulpine discontinued his internal monologue as he suddenly felt a tinge of pain race through his arm. Looking down at the source, his eyes opened wide as he saw a partially discharged syringe sticking out from his fur. Without a second thought, he quickly removed the device and through suddenly heavy eyes, examined the container.

"WARNING: SOLUTION INCLUDES DANGEROUSLY HIGH SEDATIVE CONTENT. USE ONLY UNDER DOCTER'S SUPERVISION."

The bolded warning letters were followed by several lengthy ingredients, but with his quickly blurring vision, reading these words were the last thing on his mind. Only a little less than half of the liquid had been successfully injected into his arm, but even despite this, Fox could immediately feel the effects of the drug. His legs become weak, his arms numb. Even his voice was failing him. He tried to yell out for help, but nothing more than a whisper came out as he helplessly crumpled to the ground next to the old woman. He attempted to stand, but found that he could not even accomplish something as simple as raising his finger. The only thing he could control was his mind, and even that was quickly leaving him.

_Come on Fox, you can't...pass out here. The mission hasn't even…started and already…here I am. Tricked by an old woman. I…can't believe it._

"I've…I've already let you down…haven't…I?"

After those words managed to escape from the vulpine's mouth, consciousness abruptly left him.

It was at that precise moment that the curtain to the tent was slowly pulled back, revealing an imposing figure, whose gray and white fur was shadowed once again as the drapes came together behind him once again.

With a smug grin, the lupine spoke, "But you haven't let me down, have you? Don't worry, the injection wasn't lethal…but maybe you'll wish it had been. It certainly would have been a less painful death, but unfortunately, I plan to keep my word to you. I won't show you any mercy, Fox McCloud."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, here I am. Or more rather, here it is; a chapter that is about a year and a half overdue. Did you think I'd given up? Of course not. I've been saying it since the beginning of this story. No matter how long it takes, I will see this story through to the end. So to all those who have waited, I am sorry. I hope that I'll be able to post like I used to, but I doubt it. At the very least, I hope that I will not have such large gaps between posts, as in, a year long gap. That is all I can say for sure. Another note, this may end up being the first 4-part story arch in the series. I have a lot in store. Till' next time. 

MAIL CALL: I swear, once I start posting chapters with regularity, I'll comment on all the reviews that are left.

Fox Fang

I liked this chapter a lot but like I said before it could be made into a game!

_FoxMC: Hmm…maybe. Only problem is that there would be no game, just a story line with like…5 or 6 shooting levels. Heh, boring._

Mystery001

Flawless. That is the only word my mind can possible muster to describe the incredible tale you are writing, you are truly the best this section has to offer, thank you for this story, and I hope you update it real soon.

_FoxMC: Heh, if time between updates factors at all into the "flawless" of this story, it went from awesome to absolute crap._

Captain Spock

This story rules! You're a great author, but I think you should update much more. Try something like update at least once every tree weeks.

_FoxMC: Once every tree weeks? I didn't know people used greenery as measures of time…_

"_What time is it, Jimmy?"_

"_Oh, it's about half past grapevine."_

"_Great, we're gonna be late for that party, we were supposed to be there at rhododendron o'clock."_

"_Nice going, you're gonna be at least a few crabgrass late."_

"_You better shut up, or I'll knock you into next Pine Tree."_

"…_Sorry."_

I'mNotHitler

I love these story's you write. Your style is so... Awesome... And passionate. And you play gol for the win. Anyways IF YOU DON'T UPDATE SOON I'M GOING TO CRY... AND EAT SOME CHOCOLATE AND GET FAT... So save me from this...

_FoxMC: Uhh…define soon, you left this review a while ago, so did you hold out ok? I swear, my delay in writing this chapter was not to torture you with the temptress that is chocolate, I swear!_

Star Fox Runner

Hello, I've read both of your stories but this is my first review. This story is just amazing, best I've ever read, and a bunch of other stuff people have already said. This has inspired me to write my own fan-fic. I see you finaly brought Wolf in and thats awesome, but what happened to Peppy? You would think that after all thats happened to Fox he would come back, but he's just dropped off the radar. Any way, KEEP WRITING! FORGET ABOUT GOLF! JUST DO THIS! I WANT TO SEE HOW THIS ENDS! WRITE! NOW!

_FoxMC: What happened to Peppy? Well, he was really ticked at Fox, so he's disconnected himself from the team completely. I'm sure he's got word of Krystal's death and Fox's one year lay-off, but he still doesn't want any part of that team any more. Heck, like I'd wanna leave Xavix-Yuan if I had the choice. Good place to retire._

SPG inc.

Yay update. Good chapter, but this Wolf business is suspicious...  
What's wrong with poor Kaya? FOX, HELP HER OUT YOU SELFISH DRAMA QUEEN, MOPING AROUND FOR A YEAR DOING NOTHING!

_FoxMC: Hmm…Kaya is pretty quiet, huh? Well, don't worry, eventually, her character will be revealed and explained. And hey, don't rush Fox, he's having a tough time with life right now. …But ya, a year? Are you kidding me?_

_Fox: "Wh-What? I thought you were just on my side!"_

_Sorry, he brings up a good point…_

_Fox: Hey, how about I tell Slippy to kill your roommates and see how you like it!_

_Slippy: …?_

…_I don't know what would be worse, having my roommates killed, or knowing that Slippy was the one that did it._

_Slippy: I…I wouldn't kill anyone._

_Heh, you wouldn't think so…_

_Slippy: …_

The Silent Wanderer – ArcticFoxAL (Can your name be any longer? Heh)

Damn you and your college and golfing... Keeping you from doing the real important work, keeping your possible gun-toting readers happy so that they won't do bad things to you while you sleep... heh, j/k. I'm going off to college next year, so I'm not one to talk. Hmm... that really gets you wondering though; what next after this story? Of course, you know EVERYONE will be shouting "SEQUEL!" but of course, you'll probably be like "No, I'm too busy..." But yeah. I think you actually GAIN readers by doing these excruciatingly long delays between posts... Man, I should probably work on this 'randomness' of posting... I really get off topic...

_FoxMC: Holy crap, people will be asking for a sequel? I just had a heart attack, seriously. No, this is, for sure, the last installment. This is no trilogy. Man…I can't imagine doing this for another…however many years it would take me to do it…I'm getting to old for this._

Simba McCloud

Yay! Fox MC's back. I was sure this fic was dead. DON'T WAIT THREE MONTHS TO UPDATE NEXT TIME! Don't let this fic die, it's great. I hope you plan on brining Krystal back in the end. anyway, keep updating.

_FoxMC: Alright, I won't wait three months, I'll wait longer. How's that for compliance to the readers requests?_

V-Starfox

Yay! I am so happy that you're back. I have checked everyday to see if you updated. Don't worry, I'll never abandon this story!!

_FoxMC: I'm loving the dedication here. Brings a tear to me eye, lad. O' course, who knows if you still feel that way after all this time. I shall remain cautiously optimistic!_


	9. Xantia's Secret, PART 3

Chapter 9: Xantia's Secret, PART 3

The sun had slowly started to fade from the sky over Xantia, and just as Klyph had predicated, the crowds had slowly begun to thin as they moved to a new area of the festival. Because of this, the unending noise that previously shrouded the area began to fade as well, rising now and again only as groups of rowdy children ran past, or similar groups of drunken animals, who passed by much more deliberately, and with greater effort.

However, the only thing Katt Monroe could hear during all of this was the sound of her impatiently tapping foot, which she faced with closed eyes. Her back rested gently against one of the few buildings that were not obstructed by one of the thousands of stands that littered the streets, and it was in that same spot that she had stood for several long minutes, occasionally glancing up towards a small, purple tent that sat only a few yards away.

After taking one last look at the tent, which was accompanied by a restless sigh, the feline pushed herself off of the wall and looked up instead towards the sky. As she did so, she muttered irritably under her breath, "Come on Fox, we don't have all day…"

It was one of the few times where Katt's restlessness may have had some merit.

"You've been in there for almost an hour Fox, what's going on? For someone who was so against the idea, you sure are taking your sweet time…"

Her quiet monologue followed along these same lines for a few seconds more as she paced the street just outside of the psychic's tent.

It was at this point, however, that Katt decided she had had enough waiting. With a frustrated grunt and a look of exasperation, Katt had finally reached the end of her patience.

_That's it, this is ridiculous. I'm just gonna walk in there, break off the fortune telling or whatever the heck is going on in there, and drag him outta that hippy hut. Klyph's gonna be back here soon, and I'm sure we don't have time to waste here. Not that we hav…_

Just as she was about to take her first aggravated steps towards the tent, she suddenly felt something tug at her flight vest. Still rather upset about her current situation, she turned and spoke in an angry voice before she really knew what was happening, "Hey, what are you doing? Don't touch me like…"

"Ah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!"

Katt's antagonistic expression quickly shifted into one of regret as she saw a young, orange-furred kitten abruptly reeling away from her.

Seeing the innocent girls eyes rapidly filling with tears, Katt spoke in a contrite voice, "O-oh, no. No, don't worry about it. Sorry, I was just kind of surprised."

The kitten gave no indication of a response, but only continued to stare back at Katt with her large, teary-blue eyes. It was a look that made Katt immediately regret being forceful at all.

Taking a single step closer to the kitten and then kneeling down in front of her, Katt spoke reassuringly, "You can stop crying, I'm not mad at you. I just wasn't expecting to see you standing there, ok?" After a gentle nod and a quick wipe of her own tears, Katt continued on in a somewhat unsure tone of voice, "Is there…something I can help you with?"

In a slightly wavering voice, the kitten quietly spoke back, "Are you…Katherine Monroe?"

"Katherine…Monroe?" Stuttered Katt, not used to hearing her full name, especially coming from someone like this kitten. After a slight pause of confusion however, she nodded, "Ya, that's right…but how do you know who I am? How do you know my name?"

A sudden gleam of excitement seemed to spark within the small cat's still blurry eyes as she gently dug through her pants pocket, "Cause' I see you at the store and on books. I even have a picture from one, see?"

Just as she finished that sentence, the kitten proudly revealed a picture of Katt herself, modeling one of her many outfits on the roof of a Cornerian high-rise.

"Me and mommy think you're very pretty," Sincerely added the kitten, as Katt carefully removed the picture from her hands.

The older feline's expression softened at these kind words, a look that was defied slightly by her rather feeble response, "…Thank you. That's…really nice of you to say."

The sudden discovery of this small and excited fan had rather taken Katt by surprise. In all the time she had worked as a model, she had become accustomed to being marauded by fans and media alike. On Corneria, such widespread popularity had become a part of her life, but here, on a planet far removed from her home world, and on a mission with Star Fox, it was the last thing she expected.

"You're welcome," chimed the small kitten. Her polite words were followed shortly after by an eager question, "Can you sign it for me please?"

Katt smiled at the adorable kitten, "Sure thing. Is there something you want me to write?"

After handing the older feline a pen, the girl answered simply, "Your name, please."

Katt couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle, "Ok…anything besides that?"

"Oh, yes please!" The kitten closed her eyes as she recalled the exact order of her words, "Write, 'To Hayley and baby Emma and Mommy. I hope you can get Daddy to come back so he can help Mommy with chores like he used to. We really miss him. Love, Katherine Monroe."

Katt had stopped writing after the names had been said. Looking into the girl's expectant eyes, she commented regretfully, "You're dad left you? I'm sorry about that…"

The kitten remained strangely cheerful, "No, it's ok. When my Mommy told me to come and see you here she said you could help me find Daddy."

Katt raised an eyebrow, "She told you that I would help you?"

"Yep! She told me at the house, 'If you get Katherine's autograph, she'll be able to help me and Daddy get back together.' Mommy said so, so I know you can help."

The older feline exited from her kneeling position at this point as she thought out loud, "But how did she know I was going to be…?"

Instinct and years of mission experience suddenly kicked in as Katt abruptly rolled to her left, narrowly escaping a blaster shot that scorched into the street that lay behind her.

A scream pierced the sky as Katt looked back towards the source of the attack. Cloaked in the blackness of a nearby alleyway stood a middle-aged feline, whose intense eyes focused absorbedly on Katt's crouching figure. Katt, however, was rather impassive to the sudden attack, as she swiftly unholstered her own blaster from it's place at her hip.

A tear-filled voice shattered into the momentary silence that followed "…S-stop it, d-daddy! Don't hurt Katheri…!"

Katt's aggressor shouted back in a harsh tone, "Shut up, Hayley! If you want to live to see your mom ever again, shut up!"

Katt now seemed to become the third party in this dispute as she silently witnessed this tense father-daughter reunion.

"NO! Mommy…said that she can help! K-Katherine can…you'll come back to Mommy!"

"She said wh-…Damn it! Look, you don't know anything Hayley, so just get the hell outta here before I…"

"NO! Don't hurt her!"

The kitten's father shook his head angrily as he focused again on Katt, "This is why she...your mom, sent you here! So it'd be easier to kill Katt Monroe! And your whining sure as hell ain't gonna keep me from collecting those credits."

For a moment, silence once again found its place between the three animals. Both the kitten's father and Katt Monroe had their blasters squarely focused on the other.

Katt, however, flinched slightly as a small, furry body suddenly obscured her vision.

With hands outstretched, the kitten screamed out in a desperate voice, "I won't let you hurt her daddy! S…She didn't do anything wrong!"

Her father spoke back forcefully through clenched teeth, "Move Hayley."

The young girl shook her head, her fearful tears spraying onto the street as she did so.

"Move."

The kitten mustered up all the courage she had left in her and stared defiantly into her father's eyes, "I won't."

Without flinching, he spoke back in frustration, "Fine then. I never wanted you in the first place…"

A lone blaster shot rang out across the Estorran street; a noise that echoed among the tall buildings that surrounded the three animals.

Then came a sound of a different kind. Something metallic hit the ground, preceded immediately after by a yelp of surprise, "…W-what the hell!?"

Katt stood after successfully disarming her aggressor with a precise blaster shot and immediately approached him, blaster still drawn.

Staring down the barrel of her weapon, she stated firmly, "Get on the ground, now!"

The feline shook his head, "You think just cause' you got a gun you can order me around like that?"

She smirked, "As surprising as it sounds, ya, I do think that."

"Heh, like…like a pretty little kitten like you would have the guts to shoot me point blank in front of my own kid. …Then who's the bad guy here, huh?" He responded, his voice slowly getting shakier.

"I get the feeling she's starting to find that out for herself."

As if taking Katt's words as her cue, Hayley took a firm stance at the pink-furred feline's side and spoke with teary eyes, "You…were going to hurt me and Katherine. Why…why would you do that? We didn't do anything wrong…"

His eyes shifted to the side.

Katt nodded, "That's a good question, huh? And if I've been listening right, I'd say someone offered you a nice amount of credits to kill me. That sound about right?"

For a moment, it seemed as if he was going to resist from answering. However, as he glanced down into the innocent eyes of his daughter, he could not help but feel an immense amount of guilt come over him. With a weary, stressful sigh, he slowly dropped to the ground and leaned his back against a wall of the alleyway, placing his head in his hands as he did so, "Nice…is a bad word for it. Unbelievable, I'd say. He offered me almost a million credits to kill you. You look me in the eyes and tell me you'd pass that up."

"A million credits for what though?" Katt began, feeling it safe to re-holster her blaster, "Ruining your life? Ruining the rest of your family's lives? Doesn't sound like a fair trade to me."

The feline looked up at Katt with hurt eyes, "Says you. You've probably never had to worry about money your whole life. Me? I've been laid off, let go, put in jail, tossed aside, been called worthless…there've been times when I had to pull food from the garbage to feed my family. You tellin' me you'd like living like that? Wouldn't you do anything to end living like that? Huh!?"

Not feeling quite in the mood to answer ethical questions, Katt simply deferred her answer with another question, "Who's this guy you mentioned? The one that was gonna pay you to kill me."

The feline shifted his eyes, "Him? Well…uhh, you're not gonna like to hear this but uhh...I don't really know."

Just as he had predicted, the look Katt shot towards him said that she was indeed not happy to hear that. It was a look that, all on its own, inspired him to tell her whatever he knew, "This guy, he talked to me over my comm. I never actually saw him. He didn't give me a name, said he didn't like his clients to know his identity. But anyway, he was a wolf. Gray fur with a little white, rough voice, tough lookin' guy. He was even wearing an eye-patch."

"…Wolf?"

The feline nodded impatiently, "Ya…ya, I said he was a wol…huh? …Who the hell are you?"

Katt looked over, surprised to hear this third voice as well, to see both Shaara and Klyph standing in the street. The latter of the two stepped within inches of the seated feline and spoke with worry in his eyes. "Then he is here. Katt, where's Fox?"

Katt unsurely pointed behind her, fumbling slightly with her words as she tried to decipher why Klyph was in such an anxious mood, "Fox? He's…in that tent over there, the purple one."

Not wasting a single moment, Klyph rushed over to the tent and threw open the draping curtains that shielded the entrance. Taking only a second to survey the enclosure, he popped his head back out into fresh air, yelling across the street, "Fox is gone! I don't know how, but I know Wolf got a hold of him."

Rushing to his side, Katt peered into the tent, seeing that what Klyph had just spoken was indeed true. Looking up at him, she spoke in a tense voice, "How do you know it was Wolf? Fox could've just left on his own."

"And left you standing out here alone for all this time?" Klyph reasoned, "Hey, I don't know the guy like you, but from all I've heard, your captain doesn't make a habit of hanging animals out to dry like that."

Katt nodded, understanding now why it had taken so long for him to leave that tent. Looking down towards her wrist, she punched in a few keys on her comm. unit before speaking into it, "Great Fox, come in. Slippy? ROB? Whoever's listening, I need you to give me Fox's location on the planet, now. He could be in a lot of t…"

Before Katt could even finish her own hurried words, the urgent words of another blared out desperately from her wrist device, "…ther and he's coming for me… He's close to the bridge and I'm alone! Please, hel…!"

After those words, there was only static.

…_Kaya? _

Katt tried to reestablish a connection, but there was something hindering proper communication, despite how many times she tried.

"Guess we have two things to be worried about now." Started Klyph, who was now roaming down the street, "Let's start with what we can do, and that's finding Fox. Wolf didn't get far, not in the amount of time he had."

Katt nodded reluctantly as she gave up on contacting the Great Fox, "Right behind ya."

_Man, all of a sudden this mission is just falling apart. And I thought we'd walk on and off this planet. Whatever, we've gotta find Fox now before Wolf does anything to him. And Kaya…she's gonna have to depend on Falco and Ayame… Poor girl…_

-

Walking dutifully back and forth across the Great Fox Bridge, a lone white-furred tiger checked and double-checked the ship's orbital functions. She had been doing so ever since her teammates had departed for Xantia. Until only recently, however, he had been accompanied by Slippy, but he had not yet returned. Most wouldn't think much of this, especially in the case of Slippy, but she did.

Taking her first break, she leaned her delicate hands against a handrail adjacent to the captain's chair, her eyes wandering nervously over the yellow-green planet that hovered outside the bridge window. She knew the feline she had spoken to just minutes ago, Panther, was aboard the ship. She knew Slippy had gone to the docking bay to greet him. And most importantly, she knew he supposed to escort this Panther to the bridge. However, she had not seen or heard from him for several minutes.

Something went wrong. She could feel it.

Her senses were rarely wrong, as they were sharpened by years of fear, frustration, anger, sadness, and desperation.

It was times like this that caused her to remember those years of her life; years that had been deeply scarred into her memory, as well as her very being.

It was as her thoughts reached this point that her eyes lined with tears.

_No Kaya…don't start…_

Shaking her head with fleeting determination, she pushed away from the handrail and began walking towards the Great Fox's main terminal, knowing that distracting herself from thought would help ease the pain.

However, it was as she was making this short walk towards the terminal that she noticed something out of her still blurry eyes. Approaching several discreet monitors that sat within a wall of the bridge, she noticed a dark figure, which she quickly identified as their new visitor, Panther, calmly sauntering through the halls of the Great Fox. By the way the feline progressed from camera to camera, she knew that he was making his way to the bridge. More importantly, however, she noticed that Slippy was nowhere to be found around him. Momentarily looking away from Panther's current position, she glanced over the remaining monitors, checking every hallway and lounge area until she finally came to the Docking Bay camera. Kaya scanned over the large, more panned out image, trying to find her missing teammate. The tiger's sudden, surprised gasp broke the tense silence that had previously filled the bridge. Her eyes had not settled on Slippy, but rather their visitor's ship.

_No…_

Taking little time for herself, Kaya quickly ran to the captain's chair that sat only a few steps away and swiftly entered the code for Fox's comm. unit. Despite her quick work, she could not successfully establish a connection with her captain. Undeterred, she entered the transmission code for Katt's comm. unit, which she was able to establish a secure connection with.

Getting slightly ahead of herself, she began urgently speaking before the channel was actually open, "Hello? There is a member of team Star Wolf on the Great Fox! His name is Panther and he's coming for me... He's almost to the bridge and I'm alone! Please hel…!

Kaya was, unfortunately, unable to continue on, as the small device on the captain's chair suddenly burst into sparks. The feline quickly jumped back with a yelp to avoid getting seared, and quickly turned towards the bridge door.

There in the doorway stood the intruder, his blaster still raised as he spoke in a suave voice, "The desperation in your voice is quite attractive…has anyone told you that before?"

Kaya shot a silent, unyielding glance towards Panther before lowering her head.

"I think you know why I'm here, Kaya Aurion. Wolf wants back what is rightfully his."

Not having the courage to speak, she merely shook her head in simple disagreement.

Panther chuckled, "No? I'm afraid that is not an option."

Kaya stood in place, speaking softly without looking up, "No, I don't belong with you…any of you. I won't do it; I won't fight."

The black feline spoke back in an arrogant voice, "You know, if you weren't so opposed to carrying a blaster, you'd have an easier time convincing me to let you stay. Does the mighty Star Fox team really allow such weak animals join its ranks?"

Hinting at a rather uncharacteristic emotion, Kaya spat back in response, "A blaster doesn't make you strong."

"So true, but it doesn't make one any weaker, now does it?" Panther responded, quickly realizing that further conversation would be fruitless. To remedy this, he took a few short steps towards the meek and defenseless tiger and grabbed her firmly by the arm. The sudden contact caused Kaya to let out a slight gasp in fear, but she accepted it and remained with her head towards the floor.

"Now then," began Panther, "Let's get you back to my ship and I'll escort you back home."

It was at this point that she looked up into the eyes of her captor. At the mere mention of her former "home" all those memories began to flood into her mind, and her terrified gaze reflected it in a horribly perfect way.

_No…I can't go back…_

Panther seemed to derive some pleasure out of this as he suddenly let out a small chuckle, "Oh come now, don't look at me with those eyes. Wolf only wishes the best for you. If only you'd be more compliant, you wouldn't come to hate Star Wolf's cause."

_I…won't go back…_

Kaya spoke back flatly, "I will never become one of you."

Panther shook his head and turned to leave with his prisoner's arm still steadfastly in hand, "Of course you won't."

_I'm…sorry…_

"What the…!"

Those were the only words Panther could let out before, in what seemed like a split second, Kaya broke her arm free of his grasp and delivered a devastating kick to the side of his black, furry head. It was such harsh and spontaneous contact that Panther reeled back for several feet before crashing into one of the surrounding walls, jarring the blaster from his hand as he did so.

Shaking his head in surprise and subconsciously checking his face with his hand, Panther's attention locked onto the aggressive fighting stance of the previously helpless Kaya.

With a smirk, Panther readied himself as well, "Ahh…so you've finally come around. Wolf will be most pleased."

As the black furred feline cautiously approached her position, Kaya spoke to him in a determined voice, one that few had ever heard before, "Leave. Now."

"Not without you, I'm afraid." After speaking these smug words, Panther unexpectedly rushed towards his target, fist drawn at his side.

Kaya saw this and remained calm, lingering in her current position until she saw her attacker's fist begin to launch forward. Just as his attack was about to connect to her face, she leaned her upper body to the side, evading the punch, while also grabbing this same fist with her own hands, throwing his momentum further forward than he had intended.

With a grunt of surprise, Panther's arm was pulled fiercely across Kaya's body, causing him to fall to the ground and awkwardly tumble down the short flight of stairs that led to the bridge's main display monitor.

For a moment he lay there, feeling the pains that had arisen all over his body from his unforgiving fall. After that slight pause, he quickly gathered himself and propped himself up onto one knee before looking back towards his opponent. Quickly after doing so, however, he found it would have been better to stay on the ground. The moment he looked up, he could see nothing but the color of white and black striped fur flying towards his face before he felt Kaya's knee crash abruptly into his jaw, causing him to fall on his back as the structure of his face cracked a gave way in several places.

He let out a roar of pain as blood spewed forth from his mouth and nose, but was somehow able to use the backward momentum of the blow to somersault onto his feet. Once he reached this upward posture, however, he staggered slightly as his head throbbed with pain.

"Give up?" Kaya spoke with a still emotionless expression.

Wiping some blood free from his face, Panther took a deep breath before speaking back with a smile, "Wolf didn't mention how…feisty you were. …It's rather refreshing, really. None of my targets as of late have put up near the fight as you are now. I think I could grow quite fond of you in time, Kaya."

With almost no indication whatsoever, the young tiger flashed forward with remarkable speed.

"No more!"

That was the only sound Panther heard before Kaya slammed her closed fist into his diaphragm. The feline staggered back as a result of the forceful contact, but did not fall over. Instead, he quickly hunched over as a mass of blood rose from within his body and launched free from his mouth, which splattered against the ground, while also tainting portions of his opponent's face and left arm.

Feeling no pity, Kaya reared back and delivered the finishing blow, a fierce upwards kick to the head of the unsuspecting Panther Caroso, sending his body inches into the air before he came to rest on the unforgiving metal surface of the bridge floor among his own regurgitated blood.

For a moment, there was no noise, there was no movement, there was only the heavy breathing of the defeated Panther and he attempted to breathe through his damaged lungs. Kaya looked down at the bloody mess that was her opponent, then to her arm and uniform, which were covered in the same blood. With a content sigh, she smiled.

"What the! …Kaya, what happened in here!?"

Turning in surprise, Kaya saw Falco and Ayame standing in the doorway to the Great Fox bridge, their eyes locked onto the badly wounded feline that sat behind her.

Kaya herself turned back to see Panther laying there, motionless. His head lay awkwardly on it's side, allowing her to see the slow trickle of blood flowing from his face and muzzle. With a quiet gasp, her eyes began to tear as she slowly backed away from the gruesome sight, "He…he was going to take me back."

Leaving Ayame behind him, Falco ran over to the handrail that separated the bridge and leaned against its surface, quickly examining the damage that had been done to their now thwarted intruder, "Panther? Holy… You really beat him down, Kaya. …But wasn't he working for Corneria just a while ago?" The avian turned away from the bloody sight beneath him and looked over to Kaya instead, "Now the guy's a member of Star Wolf?"

Kaya couldn't look at Falco; the reality of what she had just done was beginning to take hold of her.

_I…didn't mean to…I'm sorry…_

The following silence was answer enough for Falco. "So he is, huh? What a screwed up idiot. Who'd wanna give up their cushy lieutenant position for the chance to work as a mercenary for Star Wolf?"

The avian didn't worry about it for long, however, as he turned to face Ayame, who seemed to snap out of some train of thought as she met his eyes. "Ayame, you wanna call the authorities on the planet down there? I'm sure they can find something to do with this guy."

The wolf hesitated for a second before responding unsurely, "Uh…ya, sure. I'm on it."

Falco gave her a strange look before speaking back, "Are you alright? You've been kinda quiet today. Heh, what'd I do to earn that reward?"

She paused for a moment, realizing that what he had said was true, but quickly remedied the situation as she spoke back in a more characteristic tone of voice, "Reward? Maybe I just don't have anything to say to you, blueboy. Today wasn't exactly something worth talking about anyway."

Falco smirked, "Ya, you're right. Besides the fact we had a new mission, found out Fox had no idea what he was doing the in the first place, you almost crashing into that cargo ship on the way back, and us coming in here to find out Kaya beat a member of Star Wolf half to death, it was a pretty normal day."

Once again, she struggled with her words, "Well…ya know, it was just a…"

Falco cut her off before she could go on, "Ok, ok, I'll do us both a favor and let you go pull yourself together. Call down to Xantia and get someone up here to deal with Panther, alright? We can practice finishing sentences later."

Rolling her eyes, Ayame turned and exited from the bridge.

As the door slid to a close behind her, Falco looked back at the figure of Kaya, who was still staring distractedly towards the ground through teary eyes. The avian took a few steps closer as he spoke, "Hey, come on. Panther's not gonna do anything to you now. We'll get him off this ship and you'll be fine, alright?"

"But…I fought him. Just like they taught me too…" Kaya's shaky voice was barely audible, even amongst the complete silence of the Great Fox bridge.

Falco nodded, understanding the true meaning of her words, "Ya, you did, and you had to. If you didn't, you'd be back with Star Wolf right now. I figure a quick little relapse like that's a fair trade. You gotta…"

"That's enough." Her voice was suddenly solid as she looked up into Falco's face, her eyes lined with the streaks of newly fallen tears. "I want to be alone."

At those words, Kaya sidestepped the avian and steadily walked towards the bridge door. Her pace quickened, however, as she suddenly tasted a strange, salty liquid seep into the corner of her mouth.

With both Ayame and Kaya gone, Falco was left to himself. Shaking his head with a sigh, he leaned his back against the dividing rail of the bridge, glancing over his shoulder to see the dilapidated Panther still lying silently beneath him.

_Guess I'm on guard duty for now. How exciting. This day just keeps getting better and better. Hopefully ol' McCloud's having some fun down there; I'd hate to think we came all the way out here just to get our ship boarded…_

-

…_No! I…can't give up on her now! I…!_

Fox's thoughts suddenly came to life as he abruptly regained consciousness. Snapping his eyes open, he suddenly realized that his head was throbbing with pain, causing them to wince hard as he let out a quiet groan.

"Heh, well this is a sad sight."

The vulpine froze as he heard that voice. It was one he had not heard for several years, but even after all that time, his mind instantly recognized it.

…_Wolf._

Still wincing from his aching head, he looked up through one open eye and scanned the immediate area. A good distance away, he could see a wide opening of light that led into what looked like a city street. It was the first thing he was able to identify, because everything before that light was covered in darkness. As he looked to his sides, he could see this area was surrounded with high walls, including the one he was currently leaning against. With all this in mind, he realized that he must have been moved to an alleyway, and quite a dilapidated one as well, as the pavement was covered in litter and debris, all accompanied by the faint smell of rotting food. Upon completing his initial survey of his new surroundings, he could see a shadowed figure sitting atop a small garbage can. Focusing as much as he could, he looked into his old rival's face, which suddenly turned towards him.

Smirking upon eye contact, Wolf took his feet and slowly approached the vulpine. "I guess even the so called, "Savior of the Lylat system," can be naïve enough to fall for pathetic traps like that. Just because everyone knows your name doesn't mean they wouldn't turn on you, Fox. I'm glad I was the one that got to teach you that lesson…"

Managing to shake a bit of the pain out of his head, he opened both of his eyes and brought them into contact with his former adversary, speaking back in a rather weak voice, "What do you want?"

Wolf shook his head with a chuckle, "Same thing as always, McCloud; trying to collect some bounty on you and your team. I thought you'd be the hardest to capture, but it turns out it was the other way around. Your friend Katt managed to avoid her own death, but I'll make sure you don't get away with the same."

"Katt?" Fox blurted out, startled to hear that he was not the only intended target, "What do you want her dead for?"

"I have my orders."

Taking a few steps forward, Wolf continued, "But it's really none of your business, Fox. I'd be more worried about myself in your situation. This alley will be the last thing you ever see. You can bet on that. But before I get ahead of myself, there's a few things I want you to know. I've been chasing after you for all these years McCloud, and you're finally mine. I'm gonna make this worth every second of my time…"

Fox looked unflinchingly up at the lupine, "So…you were the one that sent me that message on the way to the planet."

With a snide chuckle, Wolf spoke back, "You really catch on quick, Fox. No wonder you're the leader of the most famous mercenary group in the galaxy."

As Wolf was speaking, Fox attempted several times to move his arms and legs, but they were still greatly limp and numb from the sedative he had been injected with, likely an after effect of the drug. The only thing he could really manage was to move his head around, and even his control over that simple motion had been greatly hampered.

_I…I can't move at all. My body feels completely numb. _

Needing more time to devise a course of action, Fox spoke back to Wolf, "But if that's true, you're going against your own words. The guy I spoke to said he didn't want to kill me without a fight. You used that drug to paralyze me; I can't fight back like this." Fox smirked, "Did you get scared and change your mind?"

Wolf sneered back at the vulpine, "No, that old hag injected you with too much sedative, but I've dealt with her.

Fox could see it in his eyes, his one weakness. For once, he was glad he had attended the Academy with Wolf. In anything, be it classes, simulations, or the practice range, Wolf would never do anything to damage his honor. If he believed something, he would never change his mind; never compromise.

Hoping that this still held true to this day, Fox shook his head, "Is that your excuse? Someone else's failure gives you the right to go back on your word? I thought you were looking forward to fighting me to the death, but if you're really that unsure…"

With a growl, Wolf bent over and picked up Fox's limp body by the collar of his shirt, staring at him with angry eyes as he spat back, "Don't think for a second that I'm against the idea of clawing you to death with my bear hands in a fight, McCloud."

Not able to move any other part of his body, Fox used only the unwavering determination in his eyes to stand up to his old rival, speaking back defiantly as he did so, "I'd like to see you try."

Before he knew it, Fox felt his body jerk downwards and then suddenly slam into the dirty ground, followed shortly after by Wolf's gruff words, "Fine Fox! If that's how you want to die, then I'll wait! Those drugs should wear of any minute, and when they do, you're dead." Pausing for a moment, he raised a clenched fist to his face and barred his fangs, continuing on immediately after in a grumbling, low voice, "I'll rip you to shreds and lick your cold, dead blood off my claws!"

For a moment, Fox struggled on the ground after the harsh impact, but he somehow managed to roll onto his side, allowing him to look up at the angered lupine that hovered above him. With his now dirtied face that was accented with a scrape near his right eye, Fox chuckled, "We'll see…"

Turning from his adversary slowly, Wolf quieted replied, "That's right, we will se…"

"…Fox!? NO!"

In the blink of an eye, the alleyway went from simple conversation to an eruption of blaster fire.

"What the…!" Wolf cut himself off as he swiftly rolled behind a pile of metallic crates, narrowly dodging the sudden attack.

Equally surprised, but unable to take any preventative action, was Fox, who eagerly looked down towards the end of the alleyway where the voice had emanated from. Because of the abrupt change from dark to light that was created within the area, he could not immediately identify who it was. However, he could distinguish three different silhouettes, and from there he quickly put the pieces together in his mind.

"Katt? Is that you!?"

He looked down for a moment, his eyes not wanting to adjust to the fading, orange-hued light that sat beyond the alleyway, as he heard the familiar female voice speak back, "Fox? It's Katt! Klyph and Shaara are here too! Where'd he go? Where's Wolf?"

The lupine's eyes seemed to freeze as he heard her speak. He remained this way for several seconds as silence wafted through the area until suddenly, he looked up at Fox, his eyes filled once again with anger. Quietly, he spoke, "Klyph? You dragged him into this?"

Fox didn't even have time to say anything back as a devilish smirk reappeared upon Wolf's face, "This is even better than I planned."

Standing up from behind the crates, Wolf turned confidently addressed the three newly arrived animals, "I'm right here. But be careful, take any more shots at me and Fox dies." Unholstering his blaster, Wolf calmly aimed it towards the reclining vulpine.

Katt's weapon was immediately trained onto the lupine's head as he revealed it from behind the distant crates, but her aim wavered slightly as she heard these words. Instead, her attention quickly shifted to Fox as she shot him a confused glance, as if to ask why he hadn't made any attempt to escape during their arrival.

Almost as if Wolf was able to pick up this subtle communication, he let out a slight chuckle as he continued, "And don't think you have any chance at surrounding me. Fox over here can't move, thanks to that sedative I injected him with. Like it or not, Fox isn't leaving this planet alive, but I'll let you live for a little longer. Just toss your blaster over here and run. Are we clear?"

Katt hesitated, desperately trying to devise a plan of action, but being unable to do so, she merely gave herself more time by posing a question, "If I do give up my blaster, what guarantee do I have that you won't just kill all of us right here?"

Wolf seemed slightly annoyed upon giving response, as if the answer should have been obvious, "I never go back on my word, cat. If you drop your blaster now, you'll leave here alive. But you have to do it now."

The feline's mind raced.

_What am I supposed to do? If I shoot him, Fox dies. If I drop my blaster, Fox dies. There's gotta be another way out of this…another way to save Fox. If he were me I bet he'd think of something…Come on Katt, there's gotta be something. Anything…_

"Wolf…why do you keep doing this?"

Klyph stepped forward in front of the pink-furred feline and sturdily faced his younger brother, a look of sudden melancholy filling his eyes, "Is this really what you want to do with your life?"

"Don't think you're any different, Klyph." Wolf began, his eyes in direct contradiction to those of his brother's, "I'll blast you without a second thought. Don't come any closer, or I'll…"

"Kill me?" Klyph's words completed Wolf's sentence, and after he did so, he began his own as he continued slowly closer, "You'd kill your own brother just to prove a point? Come on, that's not you."

Wolf's expression remained even, "I wouldn't test that theory. You take one step closer and I'll drop you to the ground."

As this less than perfect reunion was going on, the seemingly forgotten Fox suddenly felt his hands against the cold ground. The feelings in his limbs slowly came back to him, which he subtly tested by tapping each individual finger against the ground while shrugging his shoulders.

_Great, this could time out perfectly. Just stall him for a second longer and I'll rush Wolf and disarm him. I don't know how, but I might actually get out of here alive._

Fox's cut his internal monologue short and returned his attention to the two wolves, neither of which had moved an inch since he retreated into thought.

"…n't bring mom and dad into this, Wolf. They did the best they could raising you. They gave all we had so you could go to the Cornerian Academy. You went there to train to fight for the good of the universe. How did you end up in this line of work?" Klyph reasoned.

Wolf shook his head, "You know what, Klyph? This is why I haven't seen you for ten years. I knew if I ever did, I'd get questioned like this. It's my life, and I'll live it how I want. If you don't like it, then I'll gladly let you join mom and dad in hell."

Klyph's calm demeanor suddenly snapped as he heard these words. For a moment, he turned his head towards the ground in disbelief, unable to believe those words actually came out. The wolf's fist roughly clenched at his side as he returned his eyes to his brother, which were now filled with unseen fury, "You…how can you say that? They raised you better than I could ever hope to raise my own kids. I saw it all, Wolf. For you to say that…it's…" Klyph paused for a moment as he took a deep breath, "It's unthinkable."

Wolf smirked as he turned completely towards Klyph, enjoying how angry he was making his brother, "What are you going to do about it. Huh? Brother?"

Fox's eyes flashed.

_That's it!_

Without a second thought, the vulpine skillfully hopped to his feet and sprung towards his captor, but was suddenly and unexpectedly stopped short of his target.

A chilling roar echoed through the area as Klyph took a few short steps forward and dove full speed towards the figure of his brother. Wolf was half expecting something like this, however, evidenced by his quick reaction and ability to send several blaster shots mercilessly through the abdomen and chest of his older brother.

"Klyph!" Shaara's bloodcurdling scream echoed through the alleyway, just as her husband's roar had seconds before, as she witnessed her love bleeding heavily atop the body of his younger brother.

By sheer power of will, however, Klyph managed to retain his strength long enough to restrain Wolf's blaster hand to the ground, while at the same time delivering a forceful punch to the side of his younger brother's face.

As Wolf's blood splashed lightly against the nearby alley wall, Fox snapped out of his surprise and quickly wrenched the blaster from his enemy's hand, immediately after aiming it confidently at his head.

"Klyph, it's alright! We've got him!" The vulpine's exclamation was blocked out by the continued grunts and growls of the two that fought on the ground, but their movements suddenly ceased as a heavily bleeding Klyph fell limp on top of his brother, spreading the red substance freely across Wolf's now torn and tattered uniform, as well as into several spots of his fur.

Seeing this, Fox yelled out new commands, "Katt! Come over here and help Klyph out, and Shaara, you go find help! He's gonna need medical attention, quick!"

After giving a nod to the other, both of the females ran off to perform their duties, Shaara disappearing from sight behind the buildings, and Katt quickly rushing to Klyph's side. As carefully and gently as she could, the feline slowly removed his motionless body from atop his younger brother, propping him up against a nearby wall for better support.

Fox, meanwhile, had not taken his eyes, or his blaster, off of the body of Wolf O'Donnell, who willingly remained on the ground, groaning slightly with winced eyes.

For several minutes, this was the scene in that alleyway. There was very little movement, and every few seconds, there would be a bit of conversation between Fox and Katt, but nothing else changed. With the exception of Klyph's physical condition, which was quickly worsening as time passed. There was nothing anyone in that area could do to help, however, as they were completely unequipped to handle blaster wounds like the one Klyph had sustained.

Thankfully, however, after several pensive minutes, help finally arrived. Shaara rushed to Klyph's side, followed shortly after by two doctors and their several attendants. After a brief examination, it was determined that the lupine's condition was sadly bleak, due to a severely heavy amount of blood loss. Accompanied closely by his tearful wife, Klyph was loaded onto a gurney, and then transported a short distance to the end of the alleyway, where a hovering ambulance sat. Opening the rear hatch, the attendants began to place their patient into the vehicle, but as Fox and Katt watched from a distance, they could see that they stopped for a moment as Shaara leaned in close to Klyph. A few seconds later, she gave a determined nod and backed away from his gurney as he was fully positioned within the vehicle. With light and horns blaring, the emergency transport sped off down the street, and with it went Shaara's best wishes, but that fact may not have been evident, as she made no attempt to follow. Instead, she turned back towards the two members of the Star Fox team, gradually making her way in their direction and stopping with a smile.

"He says that none of us should worry. I know he'll make it through this… I just know it."

Fox nodded, adding in a comforting voice, "I have a feeling he will too. He's a brave guy, going up against his own brother like that. He won't lose this fight either."

Shaara nodded thankfully, "It wasn't just him though, Fox. Without you, he really might have been gone…forever. …Thank you."

The vulpine was only able to nod back as he heard a sudden grunt come from his side. Looking over, he saw two well-built dogs, each wearing a decorated police uniform, supporting the limp form of Wolf O' Donnell, who cast a glance towards Fox that fully conveyed his hatred. Just that look alone would have sent the message he wanted to pass on, even without the weak, gruff words that passed through his bloodied mouth, "You won't…get away with living twice…Fox McCloud. Watch your back. You and me still have a fight to finish…"

He may have intended to say more, but a forceful twist of his left arm dissuaded him from doing so. With one final, spiteful glance, Wolf was roughly thrown in the rear seat of a nearby police cruiser, which quickly drifted across the street and out of sight.

"Well…" Shaara began, breaking a short period of silence that was held between the three animals, "It looks like this mess is finally over, thank goodness."

Katt let out an almost sarcastic sounding chuckle, "What a day this was. And here I thought we'd be off this planet by now. I should know by now that trouble like this follows Fox around wherever he goes." Katt leaned over and gave her captain a playful push with her hand, "What am I doing traveling around with you anyway, Foxboy?"

Fox smiled back, "Living an exciting life, at the least. Besides that, I don't know."

Breaking the somewhat lighter atmosphere that had been created, Shaara spoke in a calm voice, "But it's not over yet. The Five-Hundred Year festival is about to come to a close. Klyph told me to take you both to the opening of the Otherworldly Gate. We'll need to hurry, I'm sure the closing ceremony is about to start."

Fox and Katt both exchanged surprised glances, which effectively communicated that they'd both forgotten completely about Klyph's plan to help with the Star Fox team's mission here on Xantia.

There was a short silence, but it was broken shortly after by Katt, who'd been asking this question since she'd heard of this festival, "Alright, sounds good, Shaara. But first, can you tell us exactly what's supposed to happen during the ceremony? Klyph was a little vague about why we should go there in the first place, besides the fact it's supposed to help us out."

Shaara giggled in response, "Yes, we was, wasn't he? He just wanted to keep it a surprise is all."

Her smile faded only slightly as she began her explanation, "The Otherworldly Gate is said to be a portal to another world, separate from our own. It's written in our planet's history that every five hundred years, the Otherworldly Gate itself chooses one animal to enter into it, allowing them the chance to be granted a miracle. What that means, no one really knows. All we really know from the passages of our planet's record books is that this choice is made by one's strength in the Energy of Life. Apparently, it's power that animals of the past could harness. Everyone today though thinks the Energy of Life is more of a metaphor used by our ancestors to show how we should live our lives. Anyway, Klyph thought that maybe you'd have a chance to be chosen, and then you could find the animal you're looking for. It…is a bit of wishful thinking on Klyph's part, but he's always been optimistic. And besides, I have a good feeling about you both. I'm almost sure one of you will be chosen."

Katt nodded, satisfied with that explanation, and quickly turned to Fox, who was staring distractedly towards the ground.

_The…Energy of Life? _

The vulpine's head suddenly returned to a level position, and without wasting any more time, he spoke in an even voice that somehow was able to mask his anticipation, "Alright, let's go to the Otherworldly Gate. Lead the way, Shaara."

_Maybe…maybe I can see you again._

* * *

Author's Notes: Alright, so that didn't take a year and a half, at least. You should all be happy about that. I'm pretty happy, that's for sure. So Star Wolf had a tough chapter, that's for sure. Thanks for showing up in my story Star Wolf, hope you enjoyed your stay! …Anyway, that was a really long chapter, but a lot of stuff happened, so it's justified, I guess. Did anybody notice how much blood there was in this chapter? So unlike me, right? I kinda like it though…maybe we'll see a bit more action than we did in Echoes of the Future, or maybe not. We'll find out.

(Chapter 10: Two Spirits, Linked)

Ok, I've been dying to get to this point in the story. Look forward to the reunion that we've all been waiting for. I think I can just leave it at that.

MAIL CALL

G wyvern  
zomg lol this story is the shiz...after reading thru echoes of the future (did i spell that right?) and thru what is done with this i feel a big emptyness on how i dont know teh end! and 1 thing about emptyness is that it causes implosions...i dont want 2 implode...i want to explode...the pain isnt as drawn out that way...so keep up teh good work :D

_FoxMC: Ha, did you spell what right? Echoes of the Future? Yes. A lot of other words, no. Sorry, I'm too sarcastic for my own good. However, I'm glad you've figured out you'd rather explode than implode. I'm still deciding which would be better…_

Kitsune Arrow  
Hay this is a great story Keep up the good work!

_FoxMC: Thank you, dear sir. I wholeheartedly intend to do so._

Agt.Ferret  
hey FoxMC,Ive read your storys and all I can say is...YOU ARE The GREATEST WRITER I KNOW! Im glad to see you're back

_FoxMC: That is very nice of you to say, so thanks. I feel very good to be back, as well. Actually, how long between posts can you be to still consider yourself, "back?" Hopefully a few months, cause I'd rather stay than keep coming "back." _

SPG inc.  
Yay! New chapter!  
Ok, I'll be more patient in respect of Kaya's dilemma. Just make sure you're nice to her (I'm english, we like the downtrodden ones) and if Panther has done/will do something to her, I want to see him DIE  
Fox I don't care about. From when Krystal died he knew there was hope, yet he continues to let down his friends, cause criminal damage to Cornarian property and generally make everyone depressed. He and Falco can go fall on Solar for all I care.

_FoxMC: After this chapter, looks like Panther's the trodden down one. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.) And ya, Fox is kind of a mess right now, but that last boost he needs to get back on track is coming in a big way. Falco, however, can, indeed, die._

arwingpilots825  
HAha, you finnaly decided to post agien and get your story going agien. This chapter was very well done. Been a while since i read your ol' storys, but hey, im not flying at the time. WHy not read a good story by FOXMC.  
(by the way, i read your answer to a review that involvd somthen with tree instead of three. Tree is a word to say 3 on radio communications in the army and The Air force communications relaying. one, too, tree, fo-ur, five, sixx, sev-an, aite, niner. just a little lesson from a pilot.)  
Bravo Zulu  
2lt Jensen

_FoxMC: Oh, alright. Thanks for the lesson. I now consider myself a much more cultured and learned person. That's really cool that you're a pilot by the way. I respect that._

Northernmegas  
Once again, yet another great chapter.  
Assuming I got the time line correct. This is one year before Star Fox Assault, correct?  
I know that there are a thousands of theory's, on why Wolf O'Donnell signed on with Andross. But what is your theory? It may or may not make the plot thicker (just a suggestion).  
Even with all these comments, you are still writing up a storm and would very much like to see you continue. :D  
Luck runs out. Skill doesn't.

_FoxMC: Actually, this story runs independently from games after SF Adventures. But if it were on that timeline, A Journey Apart would be starting in the same year of the Aparoid invasion. However, there will be no tie-in to that at all, except a few things here and there. Thanks for the review, and the neat one-liner at the end._

LilGstryker  
Man, poor Fox has been through a lot o crap. Great chapter! By the by, what has it been, a couple months since you updated? please don't make me wait that long again!

_FoxMC: Make that a year and a half, good sir. I was sitting on that last chapter forever. I don't intend to make anyone wait that long again, but I never did in the first place…so…yikes._

PuffNStuff326  
No words can express the joy i felt when I first gavzed at the screen seeing; A Journey Apart. Updated! I had a seizure. This is my utmost favorite fanfic! (sorry kitkamarak lol) Great update but YOU MUST UPDATE THIS AGAIN SOON OR KRYSTAL SHALL STAY DEAD FOREVER AND IT WILL BE ALL YOUR FAULT!

_FoxMC: Heh, I couldn't help but laugh at the end of this comment. I suppose it would be my fault, huh? Well, Krystal may be dead, but she's not out of the story. Wait for the next chapter, you'll see._

PhantomX-91  
Well, well, well. Good to see ya haven't died over that long gap. To think that if ya keep updating like this, I could probably end up in my 50's or something shudders at the thought. For Fox to be tricked like that, for shame. But I can't wait to see whats up with Kaya's story, she must have a very interesting past...

_FoxMC: Yes, she does, and we'll get to it chapter after next. I'm excited to really introduce Kaya to the Star Fox team, and to you, the readers, as well._

SkullFox  
Good to see you updating again. Almost lost faith, great story...would've been a sad day to see it end ahead of it's intent. Can't wait for the next chapter...

_FoxMC: It would have been a sad day. I've said it many times before, but I want to see how this story ends just as much as all of you. And trust me, I'll get there…one day._

V-StarFox  
Sweet! Another update... after forever :D  
Anyway, awesome chapter (like always) Keep at it, and eventually you'll finish this (too bad we don't know how many years from now) :P

_FoxMC: Heck yes I will finish this. Heck yes I don't know how long from now that will be. Heck yes this MAIL CALL is over!_


	10. The Tortured Spirit, PART 1

Chapter 10: The Tortured Spirit, PART 1

_This is helpless. I've been walking without end for so long, and still…nothing._

Her eyes wondered senselessly around the area, hoping that she would finally see something other than the misty blue that constantly surrounded her. During her few short visits here prior to the final battle with Scales, the Spirit Realm's foggy atmosphere was more of a curiosity and a mystery, but now, after having resided within for however many countless days, it was this same blue encompassment that was slowly driving her mad.

Taking a moment to herself, the vixen sat carefully onto the non-existent ground, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes and leaned back onto her hands.

_How am I to find this sacred place within the Spirit Realm if all I can see is this never-ending fog? If only I had some sense of direction…perhaps it will take a great many years in this place to finally understand it. But if that were true…then Fox's journey may end in vain before it starts. No matter how hopeless it seems, I cannot simply…_

"Doctor! Come quick! Something's happening!"

The vixen's head snapped towards this sudden voice as it echoed past her and deep into the mist. As it did, a sudden white light quickly flashed several times in the distance, until it became a steady, yet somewhat dim, glow. Taken aback slightly by this sudden discovery, the spirit remained seated for several seconds to more closely survey what had so abruptly appeared before her, however, this light was simply too far from her current position to accurately assess.

_Could this be what I am looking for?_

This simple thought was the only thing that passed through the vixen's mind as she gradually rose to her feet, never taking her eyes off of the distant anomaly.

Her subconscious made her take the first step towards the light, but her mind quickly stopped her as previously spoken words, a warning from her departed father, suddenly flashed through her head.

"_The second of these two stipulations will bring you much pain, pain that you have never known before. These visions are accompanied by the embodiment of the individual's doubts, causing happy memories to become tainted, or making terrible memories even more unbearable…"_

She cautiously drew her foot back.

_If that is so…if I am to be faced with a vision of my past, then I must face it, no matter how painful. But am I ready to see such things? I've lived through many difficult times…and to think that they could very well be made worse. How could bearing witness to one's worst moments in life be means of making them stronger?_

"Hang on, Fox! Doctor, life signs dropping fast!"

_…Fox?_

Whatever inhibitions the vixen had about avoiding this impending vision were quickly abandoned as she quickly ran towards the distant light.

Her speed, however, didn't seem to matter as the light suddenly overtook her, causing her to come to a rather abrupt halt just outside of a doorway in a predominately white room. Confused slightly by the sudden change in atmosphere, she apprehensively glanced around the immediate area. Looking to her right, she could see that she was standing within a long, wide hallway, which was occupied with many different types of medical equipment. Among all of this technology, the vixen could also see a handful of white-garbed animals, each of whose faces, for some reason, displayed obvious emotions ranging from fear to anger to desperation as they hurried along in and out of sight. Turning around, she could see nothing but a sturdy wall in front of her, which was adorned with large window, through which she could see a strangely familiar city. It was this view that momentarily distracted her as she slowly approached the transparent surface, scanning the bustling and busy scene that played out in front of her. However, as her eyes trailed up from the street, she could see, far in the distance, the peaks of several mountains, which were accented with yellow and red as the setting sun gradually fell behind them.

It was as she witnessed this familiar sight that she realized where she was.

_…Corneria?_

The vixen tore herself away from this comforting and memorable view as quickly turned back towards the lively corridor, trying to place it within her memory.

_But…I don't recognize this place at all…_

"This…shouldn't be happening! He's only lost trace amounts of blood since the finishing operations! What's wrong with him!?"

"Doctor, if I knew that we'd have taken care of him by now! There's no reason he should be dying, but he is!"

"Fox…don't give up on us now."

_...Is this?_

Taking a slight step backwards, the vixen peered reluctantly into the room from which these desperate voices were coming from. At first, she could see nothing but a small mass of white robed animals encircling a singular point in the room. She may not have been able to see exactly who it was that they were giving so much attention, but this fact became rather trivial as she abruptly sensed a familiar energy coursing through the room.

_The Energy of Life…I can feel it. Fox…that must have been how he survived the wounds he sustained on Katina…It was the energy within himself that kept him alive…but…_

"You…you failed me, Krystal!"

The vixen's attention was quickly removed from her thoughts and was replaced instead by this weak yet aggravated voice. Looking up in its direction, she took a sudden surprised gasp as she saw that everything had frozen in place; the doctors, the monitors, even the vehicles and animals that could be seen through the window only a short distance away. Her head quickly snapped back into the small medical bay, just in time to see the previously frozen doctors suddenly fade away into nothing, which revealed a sight that she could never have been prepared for.

His restrained arm raised up off the medical bed as far as he could manage before weakly aiming his finger at the startled vixen, "You did this…"

As soon as her eyes met with the mostly exposed and greatly battered body of Fox McCloud, she placed her hands upon her mouth and turned away with a muffled gasp.

Seeing this, Fox slammed his fist back onto the bed and responded in anger, "Look at me, Krystal! Look at me and see what you've done!"

Never before had she heard such anger, such hatred coming from Fox, especially not when addressing her. It frightened her, and she merely shook her head in subtle reply.

_…This isn't real, this isn't real. This isn't Fox, he wouldn't…speak like this. I have to be strong and face my fears…I have to be stro…_

"…You! Don't turn your back on me again!"

Her eyes winced and her shoulder's flinched at his words, an action that betrayed the courage she was summoning to actually face him again. With a few final words to herself, she slowly lowered her hands from her mouth and gradually turned to face Fox McCloud.

And there he lay. The vixen looked on with subdued horror as her eyes surveyed the dilapidated body of her love. Upon several places on his chest sat open wounds, each of which had suddenly began to release blood into his sweaty matted fur. Then there were the wires, needles, and all manner of equipment that the vulpine was connected to. Each ran from his beaten, dirty body to a different machine, all of which seemed to be responding with the same low, unencouaging beep.

He rose his head up as far as he could manage and looked at the vixen with dead-looking eyes, "Can you see what you've done to me? You could have stopped this from ever happening."

Feeling she had seen enough, she quickly turned her head to the side and spoke back quietly, "Fox…don't talk like that. It's not like you…"

"It's not like me to speak the truth? Do you need me to make it clearer for you? If you hadn't been so secretive about my power, I'd have the ability to keep myself alive. The Energy of Life is the only reason I've stayed alive for this long, but now it's leaving me, and I can't stop it. Not only that, but you're the one who put me in this position when you shot me on Katina. Was there really no other way to defeat Scales, or were you just too weak and cowardly to think for yourself?"

The vixen gave a restrained shake of her head, trying to keep herself from giving in to her growing emotions, "You have absolutely no idea how hard it was for me to shoot at you Fox. I did it because I trusted you…because that's what you thought was best."

The vulpine let out a malicious chuckle, "Is that what you keep telling yourself? Don't act like you actually think that. You've questioned yourself more than once if there was another way, but in the end, you chose the easy way out. By simply shooting me and risking my life, you were protecting your own. How heartless can an animal be? …And to think I pledged my life to you."

A single tear formed in her eye, "Fox…stop it. I'd never do anything to put you in danger. You…you know that."

"Then why am I here, Krystal! Why am I here hooked up to all these machines, dying!?"

Her words came out muffled and uneven as she slowly consumed with emotion, "I…I don't know…Fox. I never…I didn't want this…I…"

Fox's whole body tensed painfully as he yelled out at the struggling vixen, "Shut up! How can you expect to save the universe when you can't protect the animals closest to you! I was wrong you let you join the Star Fox team! You are the most pathetic, weak minded animal I have ever known. Just…get out of my sight and let me die without you being the last thing I see. I never want to look at you aga…"

The shouting vulpine was suddenly cut himself off as he felt the touch of a delicate female hand against his blood-soaked chest. Looking down from above him stood a watery-eyed vixen, who smiled at him. "I…made a promise to never leave your side Fox, and even here and now, I will not leave you."

The restrained figure of Fox McCloud quaked at her touch and let out a growl, "Don't touch me! I told you to leave me alone!"

Even as his harsh words continued, her body did not waver. She gently shut her eyes and spoke in a calm voice, "…Relax."

It looked as if Fox were about to speak out against her once again, but he was silenced from doing so as the same hand that was placed upon his chest began to glow with a soothing blue light.

"Fox…" She began, a single tear falling from her eyes as she continued softly, "I'll help you through this. …You'll be alright."

The tense vulpine stared spitefully towards the calm, yet still rather troubled face of the vixen above him, not wanting any of this attention. However, as the light from her hand slowly began to filter all throughout his body, Fox's hate-tainted face gradually softened as his head fell back onto the cushioned surface beneath him.

"…Thank you…"

Krystal's still sad eyes snapped open with delighted surprise as he heard those words; words from the voice that she remembered.

As she motioned to look towards his face, however, she suddenly felt an immense energy returning into her body through her hand.

It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Unfortunately, she could not see exactly what was happening, as the room was quickly filled with a fiercely vivid blue light. With her vision no longer a factor, she could only understand what she felt, and even that did not come easy. As the energy flowed into her hand, it quickly coursed up her arm and spread throughout her body, pulsing and fluctuating as it went. The vixen could do little but let out several aggrieved moans as her body gently trembled along with the energy. It continued on in this fashion for several seconds, until she simply depleted herself of the will she needed to handle such a sporadic and forceful experience. However, it was at that same moment that she was about to fall to the ground that it all ended.

Quickly withdrawing her hand into her chest, the startled vixen breathed heavily as she cautiously surveyed her surroundings. Just as it had come so suddenly, it had gone in the same way. Now there was nothing. No light, no energy, just an empty medical room, filled with only four walls and a medical bed. Upon that cushioned, bloodied surface sat the completely healed body of Fox McCloud, who looked back at Krystal, but not with the same anger or spite that he displayed only moments before. Instead, when she met eyes with him, he smiled.

"You…saved me. Didn't you?"

The vixen looked down at Fox's body, not really knowing what to say after all that had transpired. Her expression was a mixture of happiness, confusion, relief, and nearly everything in between. Having to respond after all that seemed too sudden, too overwhelming. However, that seemed to be just as it was meant to be, as Fox continued on, "I can tell by the look on your face that it's true. And if that's so, then there's no time left to explain. Listen close to what I say, for you are the first, last, and only spirit I'm able to pass this on to before I fade to nothing."

The already substantially bemused vixen shook her head furiously as if to make sure that what she was seeing and hearing was correct, and upon coming into focus once more, she could see that nothing had changed, which immediately spurred her on to ask in a rightfully perplexed voice, "W-who are you? What do you...?"

"Be still. I'm sorry, but I have no time to waste. Just…please, listen to my last words. They will help you on the journey you are no doubt undertaking."

It's not exactly what she wanted to hear, but Krystal displayed her understanding of "Fox's" words and allowed him to continue with a simple nod of her head.

The vulpine's head nodded as well, an action that was followed shortly after by somewhat hurried words, "The one I am portrayed to be, this Fox McCloud, is not my true identity. In my former life, I was once known as Sabre, a vulpine known for his power in the Energy of Life. However, for thatvery reason I fear, I was fated to become what you see before you. No doubt you've heard of the recent disappearances here in the Spirit Realm. The spirits themselves flash red and go mad, completely insane, then they leave this place, forever. Where they go, I know not, even though I was one of them. However, I was spared from being whisked away into the nothingness beyond this realm, only because I could be of some use to him."

"Him?" Krystal subconsciously interjected.

Fox nodded, "Andross. The one that assimilates himself into both the realms of the living and of the spirits. He aspires for complete domination, no matter the cost. Just recently, I suppose because of some recent threat to his plans, he's been ripping spirits away from this realm to keep us at bay, so that we could not come together and rise up. However, he spared four of the strongest spirits to keep a close guard on the four Spirit Links that connect this realm with the other. He made me into this creature you see before you, apparently in hopes of keeping you away from here. You must be very important for him to make such provisions for you alone. No one else would have been affected by this ploy…only you. That must mean that you and the one I embody are the two destined to save both real…!"

The vixen took a step back as a violent red light suddenly enveloped the body of Fox McCloud; a light that quickly vanished almost as soon as it had appeared. That brief flash of light however, had apparently taken a great toll on the one that had been speaking, made obvious by his frequent, involuntary spasms and pain-stricken face.

"Sabre! Are you alright?" Krystal shouted out while taking a few worried steps to his bedside.

He shook his head, "No, I'm afraid not. I'll be taken from this place seconds from now. But I…can't leave without you knowing this first. These names, remember them well, for without them, both you and the Hero of Time will be lost, along with both of our realms." Sabre winced hard and took a moment to himself before he was able to continue on in a greatly strained voice, "The first…Xantia. From there, Krux, Sauria, then finally…the S.C.K.Y. Once the four are released in order, so will your power be, and then, the final battle…"

Understandably feeling that the time for questions was growing short, the vixen placed a comforting hand on the vulpine's shoulder as she spoke quickly in a rather calm voice, "Sabre…the power you speak of. Is that what I experienced when I freed you?"

Sabre's body pulsed red once again as he let out a muffled scream, but he managed to subdue the pain enough to address her question as simply as possible, "Yes. Part of…my energy has been passed to you…my girl. With it, you can now summon the Hero of Life. Teach him what you have learned, and what he must do…Lean down to my hand, quickly!"

The vixen was slightly confused by the sudden change in conversation, but she did not hesitate to drop to her knees, placing her head directly at his still confined hands. Noting this, Sabre swiftly placed a single finger upon her forehead, which began to glow with a very weak and throbbing blue color, "With this song, bring him here. An…ancient Cerinian song that transcends the realms!" Sabre's voice rose sharply at the end of his sentence, which escaladed to nothing short of a scream as he continued, "You must not fail! Everything…depends on you and your journey here! Now! Bring him here and take one step closer to saving us all…!"

At those last words, the dark red light returned once again, pulsing so fiercely that it pushed Krystal to the ground, and it was there that see remained for several moments as the malevolent red energy filled the room.

After managing to creep onto her side, however, she cracked her eyes open only slightly to see what exactly was happening in front of her. The blinding red greatly obscured her vision, but through it, she could see the body of Fox McCloud slowly deteriorating from atop the medical bed.

"Sabre!" Krystal yelled while managing to regain her feet, and then quickly after attempting to return to his side.

The vulpine shot a harsh glance over to her, however, and screamed back in a greatly distorted voice, "No! Not a step closer! I have no idea what this energy is capable of! If you touch me now, you could be…AHH!"

With that final, blood-curdling scream of pain, the body of the false Fox McCloud vanished, taking the entire room with it, leaving the vixen alone, once again, among the endless blue mist.

She wanted to collapse, fall to the non-existent ground beneath her and let all that she had been forced to absorb overwhelm her. However, there was something that did not allow her to do so, something in her mind, in her very being that kept her from being too weak to stand. It was something she was not used to, and she could feel it.

_It's as if…my power of will has been strengthened. That I can stand when I should not be able. Perhaps this is part of the energy that was transferred into me…but there was more. A song…that could summon him. Could there really be such a…_

Krystal shook her head from thought, feeling that conjecture was nowhere near the best method of testing theory.

With a deep breath, she reached into her mind and found the ancient lyrics that had been inscribed there by the departed Sabre. She showed no hesitation to begin this song she had never heard, and her voice confidently carried on deep into the blue haze…

**No semo kewokxoh uj edo udt fhojodk eih Odohwo, kxo loho jeihso ev eih caloj je kxuk no muo shejj kxo rehtoh.**

**Wet'j, walo ij kxo jkhodwkx, efod u wuko ke kxo ekxoh nehct ****je kxuk no muo semmido uj edo.**

**Wiato ij kxheiwx cavo udt toukx, je kxuk no muo calo nakxeik vouh ev kxo idsohkuadko kxuk caoj uxout.**

**Rhadw ij scejo ke kxejo no celo, udt scejoh ke kxo edoj no'lo cejk. **

**Whudk ij kxaj fenoh!**

Krystal's beautiful voice echoed for a great while after she had stopped, putting even greater emphasis on the power those words seemed to have. To cross the border between worlds, and bring those we love and those we've lost closer; it was truly a stirring melody, especially in the Cerinian's native tongue.

The vixen remained still as she heard her own voice fade completely into the distance. However, just as her song had fully been quieted within the blue sea of fog, a new anomaly appeared before her. Only a few feet in front of her sat a small ball of white light, one that did not seem to have much purpose other than to spark the Cerinian's curiosity. If that were the case, then it was successful, evidenced clearly as Krystal closed the distance between the two of them and slowly bent down to get a closer look at the light, only to see that it really was nothing more than a simple glowing ball.

Not quite satisfied with that being the entire truth, Krystal reached out cautiously and took it into her hand, and it was then that it's true purpose was revealed.

Reacting to the energy inside of the vixen, the formerly small ball of light expanded exponentially and dissipated the area of its blue color, replacing it instead with a pure white. Just as she had been trapped in a sea of blue for the duration of her stay here in the Spirit Realm, now she was surrounded by an unending veil of white, a color that seemed to have a strangely calming effect. This sense of calm, however, was perturbed slightly by the feeling of uncertainty. As she surveyed the area, there was nothing in sight but, of course, the color of misty white. So instead of trying to make sense of it with her eyes, she retreated into thought.

_This is certainly a welcome change from the blue shroud I constantly find myself wandering within, but what now? That Cerinian melody must have summoned this light, and it reacted to my newly acquired energy when I touched it…but is this all? I thought that the song would bring…_

"…Krystal?"

The vixen thoughts were instantly broken as she heard this voice. She turned, slowly, as if she could not believe what she would see next. However, her hesitance was unfounded as she saw him standing there, looking back at her with the same expression of disbelief.

"Fox…"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Sadly, that's where I have to stop. I know, I said we'd see a fuller reunion this chapter, but I got a little mixed up, so…one more till we see the result of this Spirit Realm reunion. And apparently, my new chapter update speed is once every two months now. Wow. At that clip, I'm dropping six chapters a year. I just fly through these things, huh?

MAIL CALL:

SkullFox  
I really think you should go with more action...You're an amazing writer so keep the updates coming...just try to be a bit quicker...Kay?

_FoxMC: Ya, I hear ya…on both accounts. Luckily, at least on the first, I am planning a lot more action sequences in this story. Without Krystal, it's kinda hard to make this a romance, so that's on the backburner for now. Action will be seen, all kinds, actually. Updates…no guarantee, sorry._

Random  
Another chapter! Wonder how Fox is going to react when/if he gets to talk to Krystal again, or even if he gets chosen by the gate.  
You really should try to get these in more sooner...

_FoxMC: Yes, I know I have to update sooner. I probably never will though…heh, I saw this after having sat down for about 6 hours and completing a whole chapter._

PhantomX-91  
A much darker chapter than usual, I could get used to that. But I'm more interested in what happened to that girl and her father. It kinda just seemed to skip what happened to them after Klyph said Fox was gone. I cant help but wonder what happened in Kaya's past. It seems so sad, damn now I made myself upset...

_FoxMC: Well, not making any promises, but you might see the girl and her father later. And Kaya, yes, she has a very interesting past. Almost a whole chapter's worth, I'd say. Not that I would know…_

Allan Pike  
well things are definatly intreasting

_FoxMC: Yes, yes they are. And they will continue to be so._

LilGstryker  
To lazy to log-in. So bloody; I had to cover my eyes! I actually hope that Kylph lives, he seems like a good person. Wolf is such an to him. Can't wait for the next chapter.

_FoxMC: Ya, more blood then was in Echoes of the Future in its entirety. You'll see as the chapters go on that this is a much darker Star Fox story…but I can't say too much about it._

SPG inc.  
Yay, an update. And at last some understanding of what's wrong with Kaya (but fortunatly it's not a bad as I feared it would be). And thank you for writing a chapter which isn't as impossibly depressing as the last, because so far this fic has tempted me into opening my wrists several times. And Fox is AT LAST making a stand; I guess I'll give him a 2nd chance if he keeps this up, but Falco is still on my hit list. Hope to see the next chapter soon (although, to be honest, I've completely lost track of what's going on. Who's Klyph?)

_FoxMC: Plainly, a downside of my lazy updating habits. If you read over a chapter and wait 2-3 months until the next chapters, I can understand how you could get lost. Klyph is Wolf's brother. And I'm glad Falco's still on your hit-list, that's how I like it._

starfighter-105  
Sp far I like where this is going. I look forward to seeing more. Keep it up.

_FoxMC: Great, and I hope to keep updating so that you can see where it goes._

Silver Shields  
Hey, awesome chapter! I know I should've done this years ago, but I read Echoes of the Future and I couldn't keep my eyes off it, it was awesome! And this story of course is awesome! There are a few things that make me wonder though, what's up with Kaya anyway? Was she a mercenary of Star Wolf at one point? At first I thought she was a rape victim, but after reading this chapter, it's made me find out more about her. Anyway, when are you going to get back to Krystal?

_FoxMC: How about a few minutes ago? And yes, I'm glad people are interested in Kaya. Again, chapter after next, we'll see who Kaya really is._

Yamagata  
I don't know if Krystal will come back to life.  
And the longer Panther stays alive the more Fox's tears will never dry.

_FoxMC: Regarding Panther, he'll probably be back to give Star Fox some trouble. Regarding Krystal, don't be sure of anything._

Brampson123  
Man ur storys are great. But i want to point out just 1 of the things that was bugging me about the story. Fox is a vulpine/cerinian mix, and Krystal is a full Cerinian. They are not both vulpine. Other than that and a few minor things the story is great

_FoxMC: While that is true, Krystal is still a fox, so she is a vulpine. She's just from Cerinia, just like Fox is Cornerian._


	11. Two Spirits, Linked

Chapter 11: Two Spirits, Linked

Night had fallen upon the now rather abandoned city of Estorra. The streets that had previously been lined with innumerable stands and vendors, along with thousands of festival attendees, were now completely empty. The only things keeping the city company now were the buildings themselves, along with the dimly glowing street lamps that lined the barren sidewalks.

Noticing this, Katt broke a rather long silence that had been held among the three animals, "Hey Shaara. What happened to this place? A minute ago you couldn't walk through without shouldering someone off, but now it looks like we've got the whole city to ourselves."

The female wolf turned back to the feline that followed close behind her as she responded with a smile, "Well, the Otherworldly Gate is a little bit out of the city, so I'm sure the entire event was moved over there. No use selling things to animals who aren't there, right? If selling real estate has taught me anything, it's that."

"Real estate, huh?" Katt sighed, "Don't know how you'd get into a business like that. Filling out papers and dealing with animals that want everything for nothing. Guess someone has to, right?"

Shaara let out slight chuckle, while looking at Katt with playful annoyance, "Hey, come on, it's not that bad. I've been selling houses for seven years and I don't think there's another job around that I'd rather have. It's been my dream since I was a little girl!"

The pink feline smirked, "You're parents must have had a weird way of raising a litter then."

"No, really. That's what I wanted to be when I was young, and now it's what I'm doing for a living. There's some respect in that at least, right?"

Katt raised her hands defensively, "Ya, definitely. Heh, just wasn't anything I'd consider dreaming of as a kitten."

Shaara looked at the feline defiantly, "Then what was it you wanted to be? Did you really want to be flying around saving the Lylat System? Talk about a strange dream for a young girl."

The levity of the conversation seemed to have vanished as Shaara's words echoed between the buildings that lined the empty Estorran streets. Katt's hesitation to answer ended after several uneasy seconds of silence, her voice carrying with it a tinge of bitterness, "No…that wasn't my dream."

Shaara gave her a concerned look, as if she had offended the feline somehow, and spoke in a regretful voice, "I-I'm sorry…I didn't mean to prod. I…just thought we were having fun…"

"No, don't worry about it." Katt said, her voice livening greatly, "It's just not something I talk about a lot. You didn't do anything wrong. And if you have to know…" She paused for a second to take a slight breath, then continued on with a bit of a smile, "When I was little, all I could think about was…settling down. Having a litter of my own, living a peaceful life; you know, normal stuff."

The wolf beside her nodded, feeling that it was alright to resume the conversation with the same attitude as before, "I think that's what all small girls think of. Finding the animal of your dreams and falling in love; that's probably better than any other dream you could have."

"It does sound nice, doesn't it?"

Shaara looked at her with surprise, "Wait, so you aren't married?"

Katt couldn't help but laugh at her reaction, "You're surprised? If I were married, I sure as heck wouldn't be out traveling with Fox and cheating death every other day."

"That's true…" Shaara began, "But still, you've got your eye on someone, right?"

Katt shook her head, "No, not really. I'm a little preoccupied right now with Fox's mission, so I don't really worry about it."

The wolf let off a wry smile.

"What's that face for?" Katt asked in a slightly confused voice.

With an almost indiscernible motion of her head, she gestured towards the vulpine behind them, "What about Fox?"

"Fox?"

"Sure. I mean, he's strong, brave, and handsome... If I were you, I'd at least give it a chance, ya know?"

Shaara's words went rather unnoticed as Katt glanced back at the greatly lagging Fox McCloud, who seemed to be staring off into space rather distractedly. As she heard the wolf beside her finish speaking, however, she turned back to face her, "I don't think so. He's the captain, it'd be way too complicated. Besides, he's already found…" Katt stopped herself as she noticed Shaara's expression, "Again with that smile?"

"You've thought about it, haven't you?"

Katt shook her head, "I don't know what you're talking about. Of course I haven't."

Shaara's expression only grew, "I don't think you know what _you're_ talking about. You could see something happening between you two, couldn't you?"

The feline grimaced slightly, "Come on. Don't talk to me like that."

"Then tell me the truth," Shaara insisted, "And don't give me that tough girl attitude. We're both women, I can see right through that act."

Katt let out a quiet sigh. Never before had she been so backed into a corner to reveal information like this, but she couldn't deny it, there had been times when she had thought such things. Ever since that night aboard the Ladekahn IV, she couldn't help but allow the thoughts of them together occasionally pass through her mind; the same thoughts that were also the true reason she decided to confront Fox about getting back on his feet. Traveling with him during their first mission, there just seemed to be something so right about him. More than once, in fact, she had actually envied Krystal for what she had, but it was for that reason that she decided to respect Fox's space and let him live his life. Katt knew that no matter how strong or weak her feelings were, there would always be one large obstacle in her way.

Despite that looming fact, the feline shook her head with hidden smile as she looked back to Shaara, almost as if she were somewhat relieved to finally reveal her hidden inner thoughts, "…I might."

"Hello, young ladies! Could I interest you in some dazzling jewelry? All are assembled from the finest gems in the Lylat System, I assure you!"

Both taken aback by the sudden appearance of a third animal, the two females gave the short, well-dressed salesman an annoyed stare, which was enough to persuade him to quickly leave.

Fox, on the other hand, was too far behind the pair of females to even hear the words of this salesman. Instead, he found himself distracted only by the sights that appeared before him. After having walked free of Estorra's city limits for a short time, the vulpine now found himself standing upon a nicely paved path that was nestled between an unending meadow of tall, gently swaying grass. A short distance ahead, however, he could see a more properly manicured area, which was littered with many of the same tents and vendors that he had seen earlier in the day, although now the entire area was lit by the variously colored lights that sat upon, within, or outside each stand. The cheerful, busy scene reminded Fox of the county fairs that he eagerly attended as a kit. In that way, it was a rather calming sight, even amongst the noisy crowds and even noisier vendors.

However, all these things managed only to hold his attention for a short while, as what seemed to be the main attraction of the crowd caught his eye. A good distance beyond the stands and lights sat a strange rock formation, one that looked greatly out of place among the lush greenery that surrounded it. It wasn't exactly a large rock; by Fox's best estimation it wasn't any more than three stories tall, with its width being only slightly less. Despite its rather unimpressive appearance, something about it seemed to hold his attention, almost as if the rock itself was pulling him closer. He quickly dismissed this feeling, however, as he was finally able to come into stride with Katt and Shaara.

"Nice of you to join us Fox. For a while there I thought we lost you." Katt commented plainly as she looked over to him.

The vulpine smiled apologetically, "Sorry, I was just…thinking." Looking past the pink feline, Fox continued, "Shaara? What's that big rock over there?"

After taking a quick glance over to Fox, she looked ahead as she spoke, "That's the reason we came here."

The vulpine looked back at her with a small amount of surprise in his expression, "That's the Otherworldly Gate?"

After a quick affirming nod from Shaara, Katt spoke with a bit of an exasperated chuckle, "That's it? I was expecting something a little more…I don't know, complex? I mean, look at it. It's just a huge rock."

"What else would you expect?" Shaara began, "The Otherworldly Gate has been around for several thousand years. I don't think they could really manage much more back then."

Katt shrugged her shoulders, "Well, guess it doesn't matter what it is. Any idea when this closing ceremony is going to start?"

"It was supposed to start at sundown, which is why I wanted to get here as quickly as possible, but judging by the number of animals milling around, I think it's safe to say we haven't missed anything. We might though, if we don't hurry. Follow me."

Turning back around, Shaara led the two members of Star Fox slowly closer to the unassuming Gate that loomed in the distance. As they walked, the three animals passed by all manner of festivities, just as they had in town, but now it all came with a bit more excitement, as if a precursor to the spectacular end that was sure to take place within this grassy plain.

The group quickly forgot about this slight detail, however, as they found themselves only several hundred yards from the rock, but now, even that mysterious entity was pushed to the back of their minds as they stood at the brim of a rather deep, grassy crater. All throughout this circular depression sat an almost countless number of animals, all surrounding the Otherworldly Gate, which sat in the center of the hollow upon a slight hill. Despite the number of occupants, however, there was a calm silence that filled the place, creating a very noticeable contrast to the celebration that continued on in the background.

"The Valley of Miracles," began Shaara, "Every five-hundred years since the beginning of time, our ancestors have come here to have their wishes granted by the Otherworldly Gate. And with any luck, one of you'll be next."

Katt gave a light, almost skeptical nod as she scanned around the massive crowds once again, "Let's hope so."

Shaara gave off a light smile, "Anyway, you're both probably tired of hearing me talk about all this ancient stuff. Let's just find a place to sit and wait for the ceremony to start."

However, this relatively simple task was made rather difficult, due to the throng that had gathered within the depression. Even after several moments of carefully treading between groups of animals, not a single spot big enough for the three of them could be found.

The issue quickly and unexpectedly righted itself, however, as every single animal within the valley jumped to their feet, while simultaneously shattering the previous silence with wild cheers. Such a sudden reaction caught the group of three off guard, nearly knocking them to the ground.

"Holy...! What happened!" Katt yelled in a rattled voice.

No one could answer for almost an entire few minutes as the combination of noise and moving bodies hindered their ability to take in anything other than those two things. Once the crowd finally began to calm, however, one of the group was able to make sense of the sudden uproar.

Looking up towards the Otherworldly gate, Shaara pointed out a familiar echidna that stood upon a small stone dais which sat mere feet in front of the rock formation, "They're all cheering for him. OverseerZaglossus; he's been the leader of Xantia for as long as I can remember."

Katt took a moment to look over the newly appeared figure, as well as allow her heart rate to drop slightly, before she spoke back in a voice hinting at disbelief, "Hey, it's that guy who greeted us back in the docking bay...I remember him. Who knew he was so important? Not many places I know of where the head animal hangs around and greets tourists."

"Probably not," began Shaara, "But I think that's why he's been Overseer for as long as he has. Everyone, including visitors to this planet, feel so safe and secure knowing he's here. I don't know...it's just a strange feeling I get. Some say it's because he's a descendant of the animals that founded the Otherworldly Gate and has some of their power..."

After hearing this, both the feline and vulpine turned their heads back to the echidna, who, after allowing the previously raucous crowd to settle back into a calmer state, began to speak over the immense gathering in a powerful, echoing voice, "Xantians, friends, and visitors to this wonderful planet, I would like to welcome you all to this great festival. A celebration that has taken place since the very beginning of this planet's existence. This is the Five-Hundred Year Festival, and it's time to, once again, open the Otherworldly Gate!"

Another bout of cheers erupted from the crowd, which almost succeeded in deafening Shaara and her guests, who still seemed rather beguiled by all the sudden excitement that filled the area.

These cheers died down as well after a short time, allowing the Overseer to continue on once more in the same commanding voice, "The Otherworldly Gate was a gift from the ancestors of this planet for all of you, every one of you that stands here this very moment. Today...someone's life will be forever changed. One will be chosen to enter into this very Gate, and once inside, will be granted a miracle. The only requisite is strength in the Energy of Life, the very essence of the universe. To all, I wish the best of luck, but now...now is the time the Otherworldly Gate will finally awaken. Five-hundred years have culminated towards this single moment. And now...Spirits...listen close to my plea...

As his words slowly dissipated within the now calm night air, the old echidna turned away from the masses and faced the Otherworldly Gate.

Seconds passed, which slowly turned to minutes, still nothing was happening. The echidna remained comatose, not moving in the slightest as he stared unblinkingly at the imposing rock. However, this hesitation did not seem to worry the animals that sat within the Valley in the slightest. If anything, all were even more intently focused on their leader, waiting for the miraculous sight they so eagerly anticipated.

Slightly less patient was Katt Monroe, who turned to lupine that stood next to her and asked in an unimpressed voice, "So...at this point I'd say the chances of all those cheers and this entire "miracle festival" being for nothing is about eight outta ten."

"No...he's been chanting this whole time."

Katt turned away from her original target and focused instead on Fox, "Wait, he is doing something? I can't hear him at all..."

Fox seemed too entranced by the echidna's words to notice his teammate had even responded, he merely continued to look on as Zaglossus stood there, silent to everyone but this one vulpine.

Fox's eyes closed, his muscles relaxed, and his mind perceived nothing but the words, words that became verses, and slowly a song.

**No Semo kewokxoh uj edo udt fhojodk eih Odohwo, kxo loho jeihso ev eih caloj je kxuk no muo shejj kxo rehtoh.**

**Wet'j, walo ij kxo jkhodwkx, efod u wuko ke kxo ekxoh nehct je kxuk no muo semmido uj edo.**

**Wiato ij kxheiwx cavo udt toukx, je kxuk no muo calo nakxeik vouh ev kxo idsohkuadko kxuk caoj uxout.**

**Rhadw ij scejo ke kxejo no celo, udt scejoh ke kxo edoj no'lo cejk. **

**Whudk ij kxaj fenoh!**

Those imperceptible words floated musically throughout the valley, or at least it did for Fox. Katt merely watched with inquisitive eyes as the vulpine seemed to lull into some kind of a trance.

The feline nudged Shaara and motioned over to Fox, over whom they had a quick laugh. However, their laughs were quickly replaced with sudden gasps as a subtle white light began to emanate from around Fox, who seemed oblivious to the whole thing, still entranced by the song of the Overseer.

It wasn't just Katt and Shaara that had noticed, those who had gathered around them began to take heed of the occurrence as well, but their reactions were much different. Cheers began to erupt, starting in the small area around the group, and spreading surprisingly quickly around the Valley of Miracles. Soon, the entire grassy plain was erupting with cheers and whistles, even louder than when the Overseer made his initial appearance.

It was at this point that the vulpine finally seemed to break free from his coma, but confusion quickly overtook him when he did. Seeing that he was surrounded by this strange light, he looked over to Katt and Shaara and asked in a rather urgent voice, "What's going on!"

"I dunno! You were swaying back and forth like a drunk and then this happened." Katt shouted back over the noise of the crowd.

"I think this is it!" Shaara yelled out, "I think you've been chosen!" She hesitated for a moment as she looked out over the crowd, but then continued in the same loud voice, "See? Look, the Overseer is waving you up!"

Both Fox and Katt looked up at the elderly echidna to see his shaky, wrinkled hand gently gesturing for the vulpine to approach.

Katt smirked before she spoke out, "You better not keep the old man waiting, Fox! All this noise might get at his heart if you don't hurry!"

Still slightly confused and slightly disoriented by the combination of the animals, the noise, and the inescapable light around him, Fox gradually began his way up towards Overseer Zaglossus. This proved to be easier than one would have originally thought, because as Fox progressed through the crowd, it seemed to part neatly with relative ease, allowing him to make good headway through the masses of animals, each of whom shouted excited congratulations as he passed.

It was no more than a few moments after he had been summoned that Fox found himself standing at the side of the elderly leader of Xantia, who offered a feeble handshake upon his arrival.

Turning to the crowd, the Overseer raised his hands to quiet the crowd. This process took quite a while, giving the vulpine a chance to look out over the entire gathering through the vague white veil of light. There were a countless number of faces, young and old, all jumping, screaming, and chanting, all for him, a total stranger to their community. Surely some of the citizens should be angry about an outsider taking their most cherished prize, but if that were the case, none of them showed it outwardly. It was a welcome sight, making Fox think that there might be some hope for the corrupt planets in the universe.

These thoughts ended as soon as they'd come, however, as the mass of animals finally calmed down, allowing the withered Overseer Zaglossus to speak, "Friends! The Otherworldly Gate has made it's choice! This young animal will now descend into the depths of the Gate, and receive a miracle! Wish him luck and safe journey!"

With those words, the crowd once again erupted with a menagerie of cheers.

Fox, starting to feel slightly embarrassed by all the attention, acknowledged the crowd with a wave, which seemed to fire them up even more. He smiled back at the crowd in response, but was quickly reminded of his task by the short echidna, "You must hurry into the Otherworldly Gate, young one! Mustn't keep the citizens waiting!"

Fox nodded somewhat absent-mindedly as he turned towards the echidna, "What's in the Otherworldly Gate? Do you know?"

Zaglossus seemed to miss the question as he simply continued, "Onto this pedestal, now! Safe journey to you!"

His feeble hand pointed to a small inscription on a flat surface of the rock, which Fox slowly began to approach as he asked again, "Do you know what's inside?"

All he got in return was a knowing, reassuring smile.

Shaking his head, the vulpine smiled back as he stood on the small inscription. Instantly after doing so, the light that had previously surrounded him sunk into the pedestal, causing it to glow with the same white light. After a few soft pulsing flashes of light, the stone suddenly gave way to an empty hole, which Fox easily fell through, allowing for only one abrupt final look at the roaring crowd, and the Overseer's calm smile.

Fox could feel himself falling slowly downwards, a gentle cone of soft white light surrounding him as he fell. Looking down, he gauged his landing upon a decorative looking pad that slowly pulsed with a faint green light. As his legs gently touched down upon the surface, he took a moment to survey his new surroundings. The place he now stood within was completely empty, aside from the crisp, cool air that filled the area. Through the mist of his own breath, Fox could see the room took the shape of a rough circle, the uneven rock walls giving the space it's shape. Looking straight ahead, he noticed a corridor that led out of this room and into what looked to be a cave, albeit one that was considerably well lit by torches that sporadically lined the hallway.

His first steps came with some degree of caution, still unsure of exactly what he was about to encounter inside the Otherworldly Gate. The intense quiet made it all the more unsettling, with only the sound of crackling torches to keep him company as he slowly made his way deeper into the tunnel.

Fox's trek continued on in this fashion for several minutes, with nothing more than a few slight hills, dips, and turns to break up the otherwise monotonous walk. That is, until on a seemingly usassuming portion of the tunnel, he saw another room slowly draw closer as he walked. Much of the room was still hidden from sight, but what he could see from his position brought back memories he had since forgotten.

_That light...it's just like..._

A circular room with eight small, faintly glowing pads gently emanated a small beam of it's light upwards. In the middle of those eight smaller pads sat one much larger one, which also gave off the same yellowish-white glow that shone effortlessly up to the damp, rocky ceiling.

Fox paused for a second as he took in the sight, words subconsciously leaking from his mouth as he thought them, "This is just like Dinosaur Planet..."

The vulpine had little time to stand and absorb the similarities however, as suddenly, a sound other than the simmering torches quietly echoed all around him.

_You've arrived..._

Fox quickly snapped out of his pensive state of mind as his ears twitched back, quickly scanning his surroundings for the cause of the sudden voice, which still echoed softly away down the hallway. This defensive posture was soon relinquished however, as he found nothing could have been the cause. Instead, he took a slightly bolder route and slowly began to pace towards the center of the room.

_You've arrived...Savior of our Realm..._

The pad in the center of the room pulsed slightly along with the words as they quietly seemed to whisper out to Fox. Noticing this, the vulpine hesitated for a moment, lingering on the words that were spoken. "Our realm? Could this be...someone from the Spirit Realm?"

_Our Hero...please come into the light..._

"Can you hear me? What do you want?" Fox tried to ask the seemingly non-existent force. There was a long silence as the vulpine's words gradually drowned themselves within the cave.

_Our Hero...please come into the light..._

The voice repeated, obviously unaware that anyone was trying to communicate with it.

Unsure if the pad could see him or sense him, or if it were safe at all to follow it's words at all, the vulpine's curiously had piqued. Taking a few more steps forward, the vulpine soon found himself in the center of the cavernous room, clothed in the light that shone up from his feet.

At that instant, the panel suddenly let off a burst of light, one that blinded the vulpine for several seconds. Which seemed to play into the hands of the strange voice, as it called out once again.

_You have found this place, you have entered the Otherworldly Gate. Be it by accident, coincidence, or fate, I know not. _

Just as Fox began to gain his sense of sight back, he found himself unable to move. His hands and legs had become somehow locked in place by the light that shrouded around him. The vulpine did not struggle however. This was a sensation he had experienced many times before. And just like those past instances, his body slowly began to drift upwards, until he fully lost contact with the floor below. It was here that the mysterious voice spoke again.

_The Hero of Life must be filled with the Energy of Life, with this as his weapon, he is destined to succeed. This is your first test. I pray for your survival..._

Suddenly, uncertainty rushed over Fox like a waterfall. His heart's pace picked up, his previously passive attitude towards suddenly being restrained intensified, as he now struggled against the invisible force. Although, it was all to no avail, and the light again began to intensify.

Not only the light, but the feeling that slowly grew within him. It was like nothing he felt before, but at the same time, it sent his mind reeling back to all the times he had felt something very close to this. Corneria, outside the General's office; The Great Fox, inside his room; the hospital where he died.

_Is this...the Energy of Life? I've never felt it this stro..._

"A-Ahhhh!" Fox let out a piercing scream as the light pulsed and grew stronger yet again. His back arched and his head snapped back as he tried to accept the pain, but it was useless. The sensation grew stronger and stronger until all become black. There was no light, there was no sound, there was no feeling.

And then, out of the darkness, a song.

**We come together as one and present our Energy, the very source of our lives so we may cross the border. **

**God's, give us the strength, open a gate to the other world so that we may communicate as one. **

**Guide us through life and death, so that we may live without fear of the uncertainty that lies ahead. **

**Bring us close to those we love, and closer to the ones we've lost. **

**Grant us this power!**

The words faded, and immediately after, so did the black void. In it's place, a shroud of white, misty light. To his left and right, there was nothing to be seen, just an endless expanse of light.

But straight ahead of him, mere steps away, she stood.

He hesitated for a moment in absolute disbelief, merely taking in the sight of the one he had been waiting to see for so long.

Her back was turned towards him slightly, with her head hung to the floor, as if she were lost in thought. She looked just as she did when he first met her, as she did before the battle with Scales, before she lay dormant in a stasis device on the Great Fox as a mere shell of her true self. The beautiful blue hair, the finely toned and gorgeous body, the golden choker around her neck, and the gold bangles on her wrists. She had no scars, no bruises; she was perfect.

The vulpine slowly opened his mouth to speak, but the words came out quietly, as if he didn't want to be ultimately let down when she was revealed to be but a figment of his imagination, "...Krystal?"

Her ears perked up, her focus raised from the floor. And slowly, she turned towards him.

Their eyes met.

"Fox..."

For a moment, that was enough.

"You came for me." Krystal barely whispered as she tried to hold back the slowly forming tears.

Fox took a step closer, "I could never leave you..." He paused slightly, losing himself for a moment in her mere presence, "I missed you Krystal...I missed you so much." He formed his arms around her body, "I never thought I'd..."

His words fumbled as his embrace was met with nothing but air, his arms passing right through the vixen with no feeling at all.

The forming tear now flowed freely down Krystal's furry cheek.

"W-Why can't I...?" Fox spoke clumsily.

The vixen gave off as reassuring smile as she could while wiping the tears from her eyes, "I am dead Fox, a spirit. You still live. We don't exist on the same plane here, we...we can't..."

Fox's head lowered, the frustration was evident. To come all this way and not be able to feel her warmth, her touch, her kiss.

Krystal consoled him in a sympathetic voice, "I'm so sorry Fox..."

"No..." Fox spoke back in a suddenly reassured tone of voice, "No, don't be. We'll fix this. We'll find all the Spirit Links, we'll defeat Andross, and I will learn the Energy of Life. I'll bring you back Krystal, I'm never giving up on you."

Krystal let off a bittersweet smile, so badly wanting to nuzzle up to him as she always did when he said such things, "Fox..."

She looked away from him for a moment, gathering herself before continuing on, "...I must tell you where to go from here. I have been entrusted knowledge of the remaining Spirit Links. You must find them as soon as possible."

Fox nodded as Krystal continued on, "From Xantia, you must go to the planet Krux, then...Sauria."

She paused for a moment as she spoke this name, and smiled, which was immediately returned by Fox. The short silence that followed allowed the two to remember back to all the wonderful things that happened on that planet, of how their whole story began. Thinking back in that moment filled them with great comfort, and more importantly, reminded them both of exactly how much they meant to each other, even after such a long time apart.

"And finally," She continued after the appreciative quiet, "You must find the sky."

Fox nodded, "Krux, Sauria, and...the sky?" His voice wavering slightly at the end of his statement, "What do you mean by the sky?"

Krystal shrugged with a look of regret on her face, "I am not entirely sure, Sabre...the one who gave me this information, told me all this just as he was being forced from this realm..." She trailed off into thought for a moment and then continued on, "Perhaps there will be clues along the way?"

Fox smirked, "You're probably right. I've got a long way to go before I have to worry about the sky anyway. First up, Krux."

The vixen gave an understanding nod, "Then you must go immediately, Fox. I am not sure how much time we have here in the Spirit Realm."

"But Krystal, I..." Fox began, ready to fight this inevitable departure.

He was quickly dissuaded from doing so, however, as Krystal remorsefully shook her head, speaking quietly, "We will be together again soon, I know it..."

As her words faded, the blue-furred spirit slowly raised her hands towards Fox, which gradually began to glow in a faint blue light, "I will see you again, Fox. Please...hurry."

Fox wavered for a moment, not at all ready to leave Krystal's side, but after a deep breath to collect himself, he nodded, "I'll be back, I promise you."

The light from Krystal's hand flashed once, twice, and then a third time, instantly creating a blue singularity around Fox.

"I'll always love you, Fox McCloud."

Through the blue orb, the Fox spoke back, "I..."

"...love you too..." The vulpine finished, his words quietly echoing off of the jagged cavern walls.

He let those words hit him, over and over until they disappeared deep into the cave.

Then there was silence. A silence filled with happiness and sadness, fear and relief, courage and doubt.

He was so close to her, but he knew, she was still very, very far away.

_The test has been successful, you truly are the Hero of Life._

The familiar whisper called out once again.

_With the completion of this test, you have now become closer to realizing your full potential. The Energy of Life sprouts in you now, take care to let it grow and mature through your journey, for that is our only remaining hope. You have my blessing. Safe journey to you...Hero of Life._

As these words were spoken, the yellowish-white lights of each pad slowly went dim, one by one. Until at last, the large pad in the middle faded to black, leaving only the glow of the torches to light the cavern.

At the moment the final panel had it's light extinguished, a sudden thud was heard right behind Fox. Seemingly unsurprised by this, the vulpine merely turned around to notice a small medallion laying at his feet. He did not hesitate to pick it up, this small piece of unimpressive blue metal. Turning it over however, Fox noticed a small carving of words on the back. It read:

"Sabre, of the Cerinian Clan. Xantia Spirit Link Guardian."

Fox took little time to examine it further however, he had much more pressing matters at hand. Slowly, he turned to face the torch-lit tunnel and began to walk.

His hand clutched at the green-gemed necklace that hung loosely at his chest, the gem that had previously sat on her chest. The gem she gave him on Xavix-Yuan as proof of her deepest feelings. The gem that would bring her back.

"I'll be back for you..."

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I have to say, I never honestly thought this would happen. This chapter has been staring at me in the face for literally years. I had to finish this one though, at least. My readers are amazing, that's all I can really say. You guys deserve better than huge waits like this. I'm sorry it had to be like this. Enough with that though, here's the truth...

This may very well be the last chapter I ever publish here. It's too bad, because I had a lot of great ideas for this story. I figure I owe it to you all to tell you for sure that this is actually (probably) the end. With me though, who knows? I love this story, and I want to finish it, but it's becoming very apparent I will not be able to. Fingers crossed though!

Thank you all again for being such great fans, you're all awesome. Hopefully I will see you all again.

(Untitled Chapter)

We return to the ship and get some back story about Kaya, who just got done beatin' down Panther a little while back. Really looking forward to fleshing out her character. Star Wolf dun her wrong, that's all you need to know for now.


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